Love is More Than a Feeling
by Bohemian Anne
Summary: After the sinking of the Titanic, Jack and Rose are together, but people from their past keep appearing.
1. Chapter One

Chapter One

"Never let go," Jack said as he looked deeply into Rose's eyes.

"I will never let go, Jack. I'll never let go," Rose replied as Jack smiled and kissed her hands. Rose tried to smile back at him, but she couldn't. She knew that they would both die that night.

"Rose, I'm just going to shut my eyes, for just a little while, all right?" Jack asked, waiting for the answer he wanted to hear.

"All right, Jack," Rose said as she turned over onto her back. She looked up at the stars and thought of earlier that day when she and Jack were on the bow of the ship. She started to sing their song.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine and it's up she goes. Up she goes. Come Josephine in my flying..." Rose trailed off as she felt a light shining in her face.

She turned her head and she saw it! It was a boat. Jack was right! They were coming back for them.

Rose turned slightly and looked at Jack. He looked so peaceful sleeping, but she had to wake him up as soon as possible.

"Jack. Jack. There's a boat. Jack." Rose kept looking at him as the situation played back to her. He couldn't be dead, not now. Not after all that they had been through together. "Jack! Jack! There's a boat, Jack. Jack," she tried again, and knew it was no use. He wasn't going to wake up.

Suddenly, Rose saw Jack's eyes flash open. At first, she thought it was her imagination, but then he spoke, "Rose..." was all he could get out.

"Oh, thank God, Jack. You're alive. There's a boat! Oh, Jack, don't worry. I'll get their attention," Rose said as she looked around. Then, she saw a whistle in a dead officer's mouth.

"Jack...I'll be right back," she said as she swam over to the officer.

Rose didn't hear it, but Jack whispered, "Hurry..."

"Come about!" they heard the officer of the lifeboat yell. Rose just kept blowing the whistle until the light shined on her. She wanted to make sure they noticed Jack, but she couldn't. She passed out.

The next thing Rose knew she was in a lifeboat. She started to panic as she thought of Jack. Did they see him? Was he alive? She finally got enough strength to sit up and look around the lifeboat. It was now daylight outside and there was a ship close by. Rose looked over to her left side and there he was. Jack.

Rose let out a sigh of relief as she saw him, lying there, bundled up in blankets. She smiled when she saw that he was breathing. Then, after knowing Jack was safe, went back to sleep.

Rose woke up because of a hand that kept touching her face. She looked up at the man who was doing it to her and it was Jack. Rose smiled and said, "Jack? Are you all right?"

Jack paused and said, "I'm fine Rose, thanks to you. How are you doing?" Jack asked.

"Okay, I guess. You're so pale."

"I know. So are you," Jack said as he felt Rose's face again.

"I love you, Jack."

Jack kissed Rose softly on the mouth. "I love you, too, Rose."

Once Jack and Rose arrived on the Carpathia, they sat down on the deck and drank some soup. They cuddled together to stay warm. They didn't speak, they just sat there, enjoying each other's company. Finally, Jack decided to speak.

"Rose, thank you."

Rose smiled at him. "For what?"

"For not giving up on me. For believing in me and not letting me go. Thank you."

"Jack...I'm the one who should be thanking you. You saved me in every way. Thank you," Rose said with meaning. "And, I want you to know that I'm still getting off of the ship with you. I love you more than ever."

"I love you, too, Rosie."

After finishing their soup, they cuddled up and fell asleep, only dreaming of each other.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Rose woke up from her peaceful nap. She smiled as Jack kissed her on the lips.

"Have a nice nap?" Jack asked.

"The best ever. I've never slept so good in my life," Rose replied. Even though she slept on the hard deck, she didn't even notice it.

Rose stared at Jack as he stared at something else. Rose looked to what he was staring at and...it was Cal.

"Oh, my God," Rose said as she turned her head to see Jack's reaction.

"Oh, shit..." Jack said as he saw Cal look straight at them. Then they saw him walk their way.

"Jack!" Rose said as Cal came closer.

"It's okay, Rose. I'm here for you," Jack said as he held Rose closer.

"Hello, sweetpea. Hello, Dawson," Cal said as he gave a smirky smile to Jack.

"All right, Rose, you've had your fun. Now, it's time to go," Cal said as he took Rose's arm and yanked her up.

Jack stood up right away. "Let her go, Cal," Jack said in an annoyed tone.

"Or what, Dawson? You'll hit me?" Cal said as he let out a little laugh.

"No, but I will," Rose said, as she slapped Cal across the face as hard as she could.

Cal stood there in shock. "Who in the hell do you think you are?"

"Anything but your fiancée," she replied smartly. Then she took off her engagement ring and threw it overboard.

"Fine! But, before I leave, I want it. Reach into your pocket, Rose," Cal said.

Rose did and she gasped as she held the Heart of the Ocean. She handed it to Cal.

"I'll leave now, but remember Dawson, I will eventually be back to get what is mine," Cal said, then walked away.

Rose just hugged Jack and never wanted to let go. Jack and Rose didn't say a word until Cal was out of their sight.

"It's all right, Rose. I'll protect you, all right? I promise," Jack said as he kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Jack."

Jack coughed and Rose looked up at him. "Jack, are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, the nurse just told me to take it easy. She acted as if it were a miracle for me to be alive right now. I think she's right."

"Me, too."

"Look, Rose, I've been thinking. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but you need to know that I could never offer you anything like Cal could..."

Rose smiled and said, "I know. You have something better than everything Cal could offer. Love. Jack, I love you so much, and I want you to know that I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life. I love you, Jack Dawson."

"I love you more."


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

It was raining very hard. Jack and Rose stared up at the Statue of Liberty in awe.

"We made it, Rose. We made it," Jack said as he kissed Rose.

"I can't believe it. I'm really going to get the life I have always wanted," Rose replied as she smiled at Jack.

"Me, too. You are my life, Rose."

"Jack, where do you want to live?"

"I don't know. I don't have any money."

Rose put her hands in her pockets, and Jack saw her eyes light up.

"Rose, what is it?"

Rose pulled out a stack of bills from her pocket. She started laughing. "Cal has always been prepared."

"Whoa! I guess so," Jack replied.

"Wait, there's more!" Rose said as she took another stack of bills from the other pocket.

"God! You really meant it when you said he was always prepared!"

Rose started counting the money. When she was finally done she said, "Jack...there is around four thousand dollars! I guess now we have money!"

Jack's mouth dropped. "I guess so." Jack smiled and hugged Rose. "I think everything is going to be all right."

"Me too, Jack. Me, too."

"Can I take your names, please?" an officer asked them.

"Jack Dawson and..." Jack said as Rose finished for him.

"Rose Dawson."

"Thank you," he said and left.

Jack just stared at Rose. Finally, he pulled her close and kissed her passionately.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Jack and Rose had been walking around New York for an hour looking for the right apartment. Jack saw a sign in a window and pointed at it. Rose nodded and they both walked over to the building.

"Maybe this will be a good one," Jack said, trying to cheer Rose up.

"Can I help you?" a nice looking man asked. He looked in his mid-twenties and had brown hair.

"Yes, we're here about the apartment for rent," Jack said.

"Ah, yes! Right this way please," he said as he took them upstairs.

He showed them the apartment and they loved it. It had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, and a small kitchen and dining room. It was already beautifully furnished.

"Will you take it?" the man asked.

Jack looked at Rose and she smiled, telling him she loved it.

"Yes, we love the apartment and the price is great!" Jack said.

"Good! Me and my wife, Monica, live right in the apartment next to yours."

"Thank you, Mr. Winking," Jack said.

"No, call me Fred," he said with a smile.

"Okay, Fred," Jack said.

"Oh, Rose. I'd like you to meet my wife. She'd love to meet you. She's always looking for new friends," Fred said.

"I'd love to meet your wife," Rose said.

"Well, I'm going to let you two get settled, and if there's anything you need, don't be afraid to ask."

"We won't," Rose replied.

Jack kissed Rose. They were ready for whatever lay ahead!


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

It had been a week since Jack and Rose started living in their new apartment. Jack and Fred had become friends, and so had Rose and Monica. Jack and Rose were eating dinner alone in their apartment.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Rose asked.

Jack's head shot up. "Nothing."

"Jack, I know you. There is something wrong. Come on, Jack. You can tell me anything."

"It's just that Fabri and Tommy died because of me. Just like my parents died because of me."

"Jack, that's not true."

"Rose, I was the one who told them to check the other side...then I never saw them again."

"Jack, fifteen hundred people died. Fabrizio and Tommy's deaths were not your fault."

Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Jack, where were you when your parents died in the fire?" Rose asked.

"I was at my friend Jake's house. I came home and there was a crowd of people and my Aunt Susan told me what happened. Maybe if I could have been there to save them they wouldn't have died."

"Jack, I honestly think there would have been nothing for you to have done. Stop blaming yourself."

Jack smiled sadly at Rose. He wanted to change the subject.

"I have an interview tomorrow."

"Really? Jack, that's great! What kind of job is it?"

"Well, it's for a comic strip in the paper. There are gonna be a bunch of guys trying to get it. It will be hard."

"Jack, you are the best artist I've ever saw."

"You're just saying that. But, I love you all the same."

"I love you, too."

"Are Fred and Monica still coming over tonight to play cards?" Jack asked.

"Yes, they said they'd be over around eight o'clock."

"Good. Maybe it will help me get my mind off things."

"I know it will, Jack," Rose replied.

Jack went over to Rose and kissed her before putting his plate in the sink.

"Rose, I had no idea you could cook so good!" Jack said as Rose entered the kitchen.

"Thank you, Jack. My grandmother taught me a few years ago. Mother, of course, didn't like the idea of her daughter cooking, but Grandma always got her way," Rose said with a smile.

"I guess you and your grandmother got along better than you and your mother?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, my mother and I have never gotten along."

"Rose, I'm doing the dishes tonight," Jack said.

Rose laughed. "You don't know how."

"What, you think that Jack Dawson has never learned how to do the dishes?"

Rose laughed again. "I don't know."

"Look, Rose, before I do the dishes there is something I have to do. Something that I've wanted to do for a long time."

Jack knelt down on one knee and took a tiny box from his right pocket. "Rose DeWitt Bukater, you are the most beautiful, smart, wonderful woman I've ever met." Jack paused. "Will you marry me?"

Rose smiled as tears came to her eyes. "Yes. Of course I'll marry you."

Rose fell into Jack's arms and they kissed passionately.

"Thank you, Rose, for making me the happiest man alive."

"Thank you," Rose said before they finished their kiss.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

It had been a week since Jack asked Rose to marry him. They were now at the church. In five minutes they would become Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dawson. Rose was in the dressing room with Monica.

"Oh, Rose. You look beautiful!" Monica said, as she studied Rose again.

Rose had on a beautiful white gown with a long veil and flowers around her head. It wasn't as glamorous as the one she was going to wear when she married Cal, but she liked this one much more. Her mother picked out her other one. She picked this one out herself, and she loved it.

"Are you ready to become a married women?" Monica asked.

"Yes. As long as it's Jack," Rose replied with a smile.

It was now time for the ceremony to begin. The music started and Rose took a deep breath and tried to ignore how nervous she was.

Fred was Jack's best man and Monica was Rose's matron of honor. When Rose asked Monica to be her matron of honor, Monica was extremely happy.

Rose walked down the aisle. She looked at Jack, and he was smiling. He was smiling exactly like he did when they were on Titanic and she told him that she changed her mind. Rose smiled back at him.

When Rose reached him she joined arms with him. The priest started talking. "Dearly beloved, we are here today to join two very special people," he said.

Rose's mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about the time when she and Jack almost died out in the Atlantic Ocean. She thought about how much he meant to her, and that she could never live without him.

Then she noticed Jack saying, "I do."

Then Jack's mind drifted off. He thought about the deck conversation they had on Titanic. He thought about when she went through a sinking ship just to be with him. He thought about how he wanted to have lots of children with her. Then he heard her say, "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Before the priest could finish, Jack took Rose into his arms and kissed her passionately. "You may keep kissing the bride," the priest finished with a laugh.

When they walked down the aisle Monica and Fred clapped and watched.

"Thank you, Rose," Jack said as they got into the carriage that was going to take them to the train station.

"Thank you," Rose replied as she kissed Jack. "So, where are we going for our honeymoon, Jack?" Rose asked.

"I told you, it's a surprise," Jack said with a grin on his face.

"Please tell me, Jack! Please!"

"Nope."

"Jack Dawson, you leave me no choice," Rose said, as she started to tickle him all over. Jack started cracking up with laughter.

"Okay, okay." Jack gave up. "It's a little place I like to call Santa Monica."


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

After a long week and a half on a train they were finally there. Jack and Rose got off the train and went straight to the beach house they rented. It was very small, but really cozy. When they were done unpacking, they just sat on the couch, enjoying each other's company.

"It is so beautiful here, Jack! Thank you so much for bringing me here," Rose said as she gave Jack a big smile.

"I'm glad you like it here. I like it much better than the last time I was here," Jack said.

"Why?"

"Because this time you're here with me," Jack replied. "Can I give you your wedding present now?" Jack asked.

"Yes, you may. As long as I can give you yours."

"Okay," Jack said as he got up and went over to one of the suitcases. Rose did the same.

"Can I give you yours first?" Rose asked.

"Sure."

Rose handed Jack a big wrapped box. Jack started to open it. His eyes lit up when he saw what Rose got him.

"Rose! You shouldn't have!" Jack said as he looked up at Rose.

"Jack, with your new job I knew you needed all new art supplies."

Jack leaned over and kissed Rose. "Thank you. I love it!" he said. "Now it is your turn."

Jack handed Rose her gift. She started to open it. First, she pulled out a tiny box. She opened it. There were a pair of beautiful gold earrings.

"Jack! These are beautiful! They must have cost a fortune," Rose said.

"I'm glad you like them."

"I don't like them. I love them!" Rose said as she kissed Jack on the cheek. Then Rose took out a book from the box.

"It's a journal. You talked about keeping one as a child, and I thought you might like another one," Jack said.

"Oh, Jack. I love it!" Rose said. She turned it to the back and the lyrics of _Come Josephine in my Flying Machine were on the back. "Jack, I..."_

"Look inside," Jack said.

Rose opened it, and on the front page Jack wrote her a note. It said:

_My dearest Rose,_

_I want you to know that no matter what you do I will never stop loving you. I don't know how I could ever live without you. I've loved you ever since I laid eyes on you. I love you with all of my heart and soul, and I want you to know that I'll always be there for you. Always remember to make each day count. I love you._

_Yours for eternity,_

_Jack_

After Rose was done reading, she had tears in her eyes. She looked up at Jack and he smiled at her. She moved closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, Rose."


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The next day, Rose woke up first. She noticed Jack was still asleep and she gave him a soft kiss. She didn't mean to wake him, but she did.

"Rose?" Jack asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"Oh, Jack. I'm sorry I woke you up," Rose replied.

"That's okay, Rose. The kiss was worth it," Jack said as he kissed her back.

"So what are we going to do today?" Rose asked.

"Do you think that we should head to the pier?"

"Oh, Jack! That would be great!"

"Good. Let's go get dressed, get some breakfast, and head to the pier."

Jack got dressed quickly, knowing Rose took longer to get ready.

"Jack!"

"Yeah?" Jack asked as he approached Rose.

"What dress do you think I should wear?"

"Um, I don't know. You look so good in everything."

"Now, come on, Jack. Be serious!"

"I am being serious! But, if you really want my opinion, I think you should wear that one peach dress you bought about a week ago."

"All right. I will," Rose replied, as she started to change.

When Rose was finally done dressing, Jack had already made breakfast. They quickly ate and left for the pier.

"That was a wonderful breakfast, Jack. I'm surprised you are such a good cook."

"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it."

"And, since you made breakfast, I'll make you dinner tonight."

"That sounds wonderful, Rose."

Rose gasped as they reached the pier Jack had been telling her all about.

"Jack! It's beautiful!"

"I thought you would like it. What would you like to do first?"

"Um...that!" Rose said as she pointed to the roller coaster.

"All right."

After Jack and Rose were done riding the roller coaster, they decided to take a stroll on the beach.

"It's such a beautiful day," Rose said as she looked up at the sky. "I never want it to end."

"Rose, would you like for me to show you how to ride like a man?"

"Really? Of course!"

Jack took Rose to where they would ride. Jack paid the man and he even offered to take Jack and Rose's picture.

Jack and Rose posed on the horse and he took their picture and told them he would have it mailed to their home in New York.

Jack and Rose rode right in the surf. They were having so much fun, they were sad when they had to return the horse.

After that they went back to their beach house. Rose cooked Jack supper.

After they were done eating, they got ready for bed.

"Are you tired, Rose?" Jack asked once she got in bed.

"No, not really. I had so much fun today!"

"Rose, can I take you back to the stars?" Jack asked as he held her in his arms.

"Of course you can, Mr. Dawson."


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Rose woke up early and went into the kitchen to cook Jack breakfast.

She looked out the window and she saw the pier from a distance. She smiled to herself when she thought of how much fun she and Jack had yesterday.

Then she felt someone come up from behind her and wrap their arms around her.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine..." She heard Jack's familiar voice sing in an off-key voice.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Rose said.

"Good morning. Did you sleep good last night?"

"I slept great," Rose replied.

"Good. Me, too."

"What do you want to do today, Jack?"

"Um...I don't know. What would you like to do?"

"We could...go swimming at the beach."

"Sounds perfect."

After Jack and Rose were finished eating breakfast, they went down to the beach.

They laid their towels down, and they ran down to the water.

Once they got there, Jack dove in first. Rose followed.

When they reached the surface, Jack took Rose's hand and pulled her closer to him.

"I love you, Rosie."

"I love you, too."

After they swam for a while, Rose suggested they get out and lay down on their towels.

"That sun feels so good!" Rose said.

"I know."

"I could stay like this forever."

"If you did, I think you'd have a pretty bad sunburn."

Rose smiled at his comment and leaned over and kissed him. Jack pulled Rose closer to him.

For a while, they just laid there in each other's arms. Absorbing the sun and laying peacefully.

"We should really get going," Jack said.

"I know."

They gathered up all of their stuff.

"Are you ready to go?" Jack asked.

"Yes."

"I had fun today, Rose."

"I did, too, Jack. Thank you so much for bringing me to Santa Monica, just like you promised you would."

"You're welcome."

"I'll show you how thankful I am tonight," Rose said.

Jack smiled at her. "I can't wait."


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Jack and Rose's honeymoon was finally over. They were on the train back to New York.

"Jack, I'll never forget that time we shared," Rose said as she squeezed his hand.

"Me, either. That was the most fun time of my life," Jack added.

The train finally pulled into New York. Jack and Rose got their luggage and took a carriage to their apartment.

"Jack! Rose! You're home!" Fred said as he greeted his friends.

"It's good to be back," Jack said.

"Rose!" Monica yelled as she ran to her friend. They hugged.

"How was Santa Monica?" Fred asked.

"It was great! It was the most beautiful place I have ever been," Rose said.

"Rose, are those new earrings?" Monica asked.

"Yes. Jack gave them to me."

"Fred, why can't you ever buy my something like this?" Monica asked her husband.

"Because you spend all my money!" Fred said. "Now honey, I was just kidding. I love you."

"Yeah, right," Monica said back, being sarcastic.

"Anyway, Rose, did you go to the beach?"

"Yes. It was so beautiful! I loved it!"

"I'm just finishing up supper. Why don't you and Jack go unpack and come back down to eat when you're done?" Monica asked.

"All right," Rose said as she and Jack went upstairs.

Once they got there they started to unpack. Rose got to the suitcase with her journal Jack got her. She smiled as she looked at it.

"Thanks again for my wedding gift," Rose said.

Jack smiled at her. "You're welcome. Thanks for mine, too."

Once they were done they went back downstairs.

"Oh, good. Just in time," Monica said, as she put down the plate of potatoes.

"Oh, Monica. It looks delicious," Rose said.

Monica smiled and sat down.

"Rose, Jack. This is for you guys. We didn't get a chance to give it to you after the wedding, so here's your gift," Fred said.

"Oh, Fred, you and Monica didn't have to get us anything," Rose said.

"Open it," Monica said.

"Here, you can do it, Jack," Rose said as she handed the box to Jack.

He opened it and smiled as he saw what was inside. It was a photo album with pictures of the four of them.

"This was so sweet of you guys," Rose said.

Jack and Rose flipped through the pictures. They had pictures of the four of them playing cards, eating dinner, all kinds of pictures.

"As you can see, Monica gets a little to carried away with her camera," Fred said.

"I'm glad she does. It's good to have pictures of all of us," Jack said as he smiled at Monica.

At the last part in the photo album Jack and Rose saw a picture of him and Rose on the horse in Santa Monica.

"When did you get this?" Rose asked as she smiled at them.

"Oh, don't worry. They sent two copies of the picture. I put one of them in there. Is that all right?" Monica asked.

"Of course it is," Rose said.

"See, Rose, I told you that you'd learn how to ride like a man," Jack said as he kissed Rose on the cheek.

"I know you did. I love you, Jack."

"I love you more."


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

"Oh, that dress is beautiful!" Monica said as she and Rose passed another store window.

"You'd look great in that, Monica. Why don't you go in and try it on?" Rose asked.

"Are you nuts? Fred would kill me if I bought a dress like that. We don't have that kind of money..."

"There's Jack and Fred," Rose said as she pointed across the street.

Rose and Monica walked across the street over to their husbands.

"Hi, honey," Rose said as she approached Jack.

"Rose, hi. Having fun shopping?" Jack asked as he gave her a hug and kissed her on top of her head.

"Yeah, are you heading back home?"

"No, we're going out to lunch. Want to come along?" Jack asked as he looked at Monica and then back to Rose.

Rose looked over at Monica. "Sure. We just finished shopping," Rose said.

"I still have a list of things to get," Monica said as she looked at the list again. "But, I'll get the rest tomorrow."

"Now, there goes Monica with one of her little lists. I'll tell you, Jack, ever since we've been married she insists on making a list for everything..." Fred said.

"Oh, shut up, Fred," Monica said in a playful tone.

"I'm just kidding, Monica. I love you."

Monica smiled. "I love you, too."

They all walked to a small Italian restaurant. The wives sat by their husbands.

After they ordered their food, Monica said, "I saw your cartoon in this morning's paper, Jack. It was good."

"Thanks, Monica," Jack said as he smiled at her.

"Oh, my God..." Rose said as she watched someone enter the door.

"What, Rose?" Jack asked. He followed Rose's eyes and saw what she was looking at.

"Shit!" Jack said.

"Who is that?" Fred asked.

"No other than Caledon Hockley, my ex-fiancé."

Cal spotted them and Jack cursed again. Cal smiled at Rose when he saw her.

"Hello, sweetpea," Cal said. "I see you made quite a life for yourself."

"What do you want, Cal?" Jack asked.

"Nothing from you, gutter rat."

Jack started to get angry and stood up.

"Dawson, I don't want to start anything with you. I just wanted to say hi to my fiancée."

"I'm not your fiancée!" Rose said.

Cal just smiled at her. "Poor Rose, always making bad decisions..."

"Are you done now?" Jack asked.

"I suppose, but not for good," Cal said as he walked away.

"Good thing that didn't cause a scene," Monica said. "I mean, I'm sorry..." She didn't know quite what to say.

"That's okay, Monica," Rose said.

After the food arrived they ate fast and they walked home. It was a very dark night. Jack put his arm around Rose.

"I love you, Rosie," Jack said.

"I love you more," Rose replied.

"Impossible..."

Rose smiled up at Jack. Then she saw Cal standing in front of all of them. He took a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Jack.

"This is for all you've done..." Cal said.

Right before he pulled the trigger Rose jumped in front of Jack, taking the bullet.

"Rose!" Jack said as Rose fell into his arms. "Rose!"

Cal stood there in shock. "Rose..." he said. Then he ran, and Fred ran after him.

"Rose! Rose!" Jack picked her up.

"We need a carriage to take us to the hospital..." Jack said.

One was coming this way. It stopped and Monica told the driver what happened and they rushed Rose to the hospital, Rose unconscious the whole time.

After they got there, Jack and Monica waited in the waiting room. Then, Fred came in.

"Fred!" Monica said as she ran to her husband. "What happened?"

"Don't worry about Cal. The cops got him. How's Rose?"

"We don't know yet..." Jack said. He looked as if he was going to cry, but he didn't.

The doctor came into the room. "Mr. Dawson?"

Jack stood up. "That's me."

"Your wife is in very critical condition. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but there is about a twenty percent chance she will live," the nurse said.

Jack's head fell. "Shit," he whispered. Then he started to cry, hysterically.

Fred and Monica sat next to him and tried to comfort him.

Jack slept in the waiting room that night, praying for a miracle. Rose couldn't die. He thought about how she saved his life. He couldn't lose her now. He just couldn't.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Jack was having a peaceful dream. He was with Rose, and they were on Titanic again. They were on the bow of the ship again, until someone woke him up.

"Jack. Jack wake up!" Monica tried.

Jack slowly opened his eyes, then spoke. "Any news on Rose?"

"I'm sorry, hon. Not yet," Monica said.

Jack sat up on the uncomfortable couch he had slept on that night.

It had been a week since Rose had gotten shot, and Jack hadn't been home once.

"Jack, don't you think you should go home for a while? We'll come and get you if there's any news on Rose," Fred offered.

"No! I can't. She needs me more than ever. I'm not leaving."

Fred nodded at his friend. "All right."

Just then, a nurse came out into the waiting room.

"Mr. Dawson," she said.

Jack jumped up off of the couch. "How's my wife?"

"Well, they're finished with the surgery. The bullet is taken out, and she seems to be doing fine, but that doesn't mean she will recover completely."

"But..." Jack tried to get out, "Do...do you think she will live?"

"Mr. Dawson, that's all I can tell you for right now. Just keep praying. I'll be back later with any news," the nurse said before leaving.

Jack sat back down and ran his fingers through his hair. "You guys can go home," Jack said looking over at Monica and Fred. "I'll let you know if there's any change in Rose's condition."

"All right, Jack. Are you sure you'll be all right?" Monica asked.

Jack nodded. Fred and Monica left. Once they were outside Monica looked up at her husband. "Do you think Rose will be all right?"

"Ah, Monica. You know that Rose is a fighter," Fred said.

She gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and they walked back to the apartment.

Meanwhile, back up at the waiting room, Jack just thought. Thought about Rose.

About six hours later, at five o'clock PM, the nurse came out again.

Jack ran up to her. "How is my wife doing?"

"Mr. Dawson, she's doing much better."

Jack let out a sigh of relief. "Can I see her, please?"

"I'm sorry Mr..."

"PLEASE! I'm begging you. I really need to see her! Please."

The nurse paused. "All right..." she said, unsure of herself.

Jack followed her to Rose's room. "Is she awake?" Jack asked.

"Yes. In fact, she's been calling for you."

Once they reached the room, Jack smiled at the nurse and thanked her before she went back to work. Jack opened the door slowly.

"Rose?"

"Jack!"

Once Jack saw her he went right to her.

"Oh, Rose. Thank God you are all right!" Jack said as he started to kiss her all over her face.

Rose smiled. "I'm doing fine, darling. I love you so much!"

"I love you more, Rose...oh, God. Rose, I almost lost you. But, you are a fighter."

"Yes, I am. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you?" Rose joked.

"I love you so much. I'm gonna kill Cal. That bastard..."

"What happened to him?" Rose asked.

"Don't worry, Rosie. Thanks to Fred they caught him, and he's going to be tried."

"Jack, thanks for being here for me," Rose said.

"Rose, they couldn't have dragged me away from you. I'll always be there for you," Jack said. "But Rose, why did you jump in front of that bullet? You were almost killed."

"Jack, I couldn't let him hurt you."

"Rose, don't ever do that again. I never want anything bad to happen to you because of me..."

"Jack! It's not because of you. It's because of Cal! He's the one who shot me."

Jack smiled. "Thank you, Rose, for saving my life. I love you. But, never do that again," Jack said with a smile.

"I love you, too, but Jack, I will always be there for you, too."

"You're crazy," Jack said as he kissed her again.

"That's what everybody says..." Rose said as she thought back to that night on the Titanic.

"I'm the luckiest man alive, Rose. I have everything. I'm so lucky I met you that night."

"I'm the lucky one, Jack."

"I love you, Rosie."

"I love you, too."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"It feels so good to be home!" Rose said as she and Jack entered their apartment. She paused. "Jack, did you do that?"

"Yes. I wanted to surprise you," Jack replied.

"It's so beautiful..." Rose said as she looked at the Christmas tree again in awe.

It was December 20, 1912, and this was Rose's first time home in a long time.

"So, I guess you're full of Christmas cheer?" Rose asked.

Jack smiled and nodded.

"I'm gonna go cook you some lunch, all right?" Jack asked. "You just lay down on the couch and relax."

Rose nodded and went over onto the couch and stretched out after taking off her shoes.

When Jack was done cooking lunch, he brought it into the living room for him and Rose to eat.

"That smells good, Jack," Rose said.

"Thanks. I made your favorite. Noodle soup."

Rose smiled as she took it and started to eat.

"Rose, we need to talk about Cal."

Rose looked worried. "Why?"

"Well, they want you to testify against him at his trial since you were the one who was shot."

"Oh no, Jack. I can't...I never want to see that man again!"

"Okay, Rose, whatever you want. But you have to understand, if you're there, there is a better chance of him being put into jail, where he belongs," Jack finished.

Rose paused. "Jack...I want to go. If that's what it takes to get rid of Caledon Hockley, I'll do it."

Jack kissed his wife. "And I'll be there for you."

"Thanks, Jack," Rose said as she went back to her soup.

When they were finished, Jack took Rose over to the tree and showed her all of the ornaments.

"Jack, you did a beautiful job on this tree..." Rose said.

"Thank you."

"Jack, what do you want to do?"

"What do you wanna do?" Jack asked back.

"I was thinking...do you think it's time to go back to the stars?"

"Rose, I though you'd never ask," Jack said as he carried her to their bedroom.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

It was now Christmas morning, 1912. Jack and Rose were still asleep.

Jack woke up first and looked over at his wife. She looked so peaceful sleeping, but he couldn't help himself.

"Rose! Wake up!"

"Hmm?" Rose mumbled.

"Rose! It's Christmas morning!"

Rose finally opened her eyes and saw her beautiful husband smiling at her.

"Jack...please just another few minutes!" Rose whined.

"Rose...it's Christmas! Santa Clause came!" Jack said like a little kid.

"Oh, Jack I..."

Before Rose could finish Jack put his finger over her mouth. "No excuses, Rose," he said as he gave Rose a kiss.

They walked hand in hand to the downstairs living room. It was around nine o'clock and they and Monica and Fred all bought gifts for each other.

"Merry Christmas," Fred said as he saw them come down the stairs.

"Merry Christmas," Rose replied.

"Rose," Monica said as she came up by her friend. "We've got presents to open."

They all sat down around Fred and Monica's tree.

Everyone gathered all their presents. Everyone had three to open.

"Who goes first?" Monica asked.

"Um...let's all go at the same time," Fred said.

They all opened one of their gifts.

"Oh my gosh, Monica. It's beautiful!" Rose said as she looked at the butterfly earrings she got Rose.

They all opened the rest of their presents. All that was left was for Jack to open Rose's.

Jack opened it up and in the big box was a little piece of paper. He looked at it, confused. Then, he read it. It said:

_Jack, you're going to be a daddy._

"Rose..."

Rose smiled at him.

"What does it say, Jack?" Fred asked.

"I'm gonna be a daddy?" Jack asked.

Rose nodded her head.

"Yahoo!" Jack yelled as he took Rose into his arms and kissed her all over.

"Rose, you're pregnant?" Monica asked. "Oh, my gosh!"

They were all very excited about it. Rose found out about it a few days ago at the doctor.

"Thank you, Rose, for the best Christmas present a guy could ever ask for!"

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"Jack, have you been up all night?" Rose said as she walked into the living room. It was now about eight o'clock A.M.

"I'm going to be a father," Jack said in disbelief.

"You're not alone. I'm going to be a mother," Rose replied as she sat down next to Jack on the couch.

"I think you'll make the perfect mother," Jack said as he kissed her on the top of her head.

"I hope so...I know you'll be a great father."

Jack smiled. "You really think so?"

"I know so. Jack, I've been thinking. Do you really want our children to grow up in New York?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders. "No, not really. Do you think we should move?"

"Yes, but then I think about Monica and Fred and how much we'd miss them."

"Rose, they'd be okay. We'd send letters and visit a lot."

"Really?" Rose asked.

Jack nodded. "Sure. We'll move right after Cal's trial."

"Oh, yeah. I had almost forgot about that."

"Rose, you don't have to go through with it. If you're worried about Cal getting what he deserves, I'll go. I know you never want to see him again."

"Really, Jack? You'd do that for me?"

"Rose, I'd do anything for you," Jack said as he kissed her again.

"So, where would you like to move?" Rose asked.

"Where ever you want to go."

"How about...Chippewa Falls?"

"Really? You'd want to live there?"

"Sure I would. I'd love to see where you have grown up."

"Okay, then. We'll go."

"Jack, will you introduce me to everyone there?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Sure."

"I just hope that everything turns out okay," Rose said.

"Rose, I know it will."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

A couple of weeks had gone by since Christmas. Rose was reading a book she got from the library when Jack walked in the front door.

"Honey, how did the hearing go?" Rose asked as Jack took off his coat and threw it on the couch.

"Terrible. That damn Cal Hockley can get away with anything he wants!" Jack said as he sat down.

"What happened?" Rose asked, coming over to Jack and rubbing his back, trying to calm him down.

"Well, Rose, apparently he shot you by accident, or that's what he says..." Jack said. "And, of course, the judge believed him. Who wouldn't? He's Caledon Hockley," Jack said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Rose said.

"Rose, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't get him put in jail where he belongs..." Jack replied.

"Maybe if I was there..."

"Rose, no. It wouldn't have made a difference. He gets away with anything he wants."

Rose smiled slightly. "Well, Jack, at least we're moving to Chippewa Falls tomorrow. That should cheer you up a little."

Jack smiled at his wife. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Jack kissed Rose, then got up and got the paper to read.

The next day...

"Oh, Rose, I'm going to miss you so much!" Monica cried as she gave Rose a hug again.

"I'm gonna miss you, too, but we'll write all of the time, and we'll visit you whenever we can," Rose said through her tears.

"Promise?"

Rose smiled. "I promise."

"Well, Jack, there's the train," Fred said as he shook Jack's hand. "Thanks for being such good friends to Monica and I."

"Thank you," Jack said as the hand shake turned into a hug.

"Good-bye!"

After Rose and Jack got onto the train they looked for their room. They were staying in a second class cabin.

Rose was the one who finally found it, and Jack opened the door. The room was small, but nice. It had a bathroom on the right side, and a big bed with little tables on the side.

"Well, this is it," Jack said.

"Oh, Jack, I love it!" Rose exclaimed as she went over to the bed and laid down.

Jack came over next to her and sat down. "I'm glad you do," and he leaned down to kiss her.

As the kiss grew Rose pulled away. "Jack, we have got to unpack."

"Rose...we have time for that later," Jack said as he kissed her neck.

Rose smiled. "Okay. You get your way."

After they made love, it was time for dinner and they got ready.

"Rose, where are my shoes?" Jack asked as he searched the room.

"Um...they're under the bed, where you put them."

"Oh, yeah," Jack said as he picked up his shoes and put them on.

"You almost ready?" Jack asked Rose, who was in the bathroom.

"Yeah, I just have to do my hair..."

"Rose, just leave it down. It looks the best that way!"

Rose smiled. For some reason, he loved it when she had her hair down. So, she left it down.

Rose came out of the bathroom, finally.

"Rose, you look beautiful, like you always do," Jack said.

Rose was wearing a dress similar to the one she had on when the Titanic sank.

"Ready to go?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Rose said as they left their room and shut the door. They couldn't wait until they got to Chippewa Falls!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Rose smiled as she woke up to Jack sleeping next to her. Today was the day they would get to Chippewa Falls.

Rose was so happy she'd finally see where Jack grew up.

Rose noticed that Jack was tossing in the bed.

Rose kissed Jack slightly. Jack opened his eyes and saw Rose staring at him.

"Hello, beautiful," Jack said as he sat up to kiss her.

"Good morning."

"I love waking up to you," Jack said as he kissed her again.

"Today we reach your hometown."

"I know," Jack said. "Are you excited?"

"More than ever."

"Me, too."

"We have to get up and get dressed," Rose said.

"I know," Jack said as he slowly got out of bed.

"Do you want to take a bath first?" Rose asked.

"Will you take one with me?" Jack asked.

Rose smiled. "If you want me to."

"I do."

Jack started the water. He and Rose both got in. Rose laid in Jack's arms.

"I love you so much," Rose said.

"I love you more."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Jack was carrying the big suitcases, and Rose the lighter ones. The afternoon sky was lovely. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. It felt great to be outside.

"So where now?" Rose asked as she looked up at Jack.

"Well, first we need to get a carriage to take us to the house."

"Jack, I was so excited this morning when you told me you bought a house."

"Rose, you're gonna love it. My Uncle Jim was the one who found it for us. I can't wait until you meet him."

Rose smiled at the excitement in Jack's eyes. She was also happy about meeting all of these people who obviously had a big influence on Jack.

When they had a carriage pick them up, Jack told them where to go.

"Oh, yeah," Jack said as he got something out of his pocket. It was a little cloth.

"Rose, I'm gonna have to do this," Jack said as he used it for a blindfold.

"Jack, why..."

"I want you to be surprised about the house."

Rose smiled. "Okay."

Finally the carriage stopped. Jack helped Rose get off and he put all of the luggage on the ground. Jack paid the driver, and he left.

"Okay, Rose. I'm going to take it off, but you have to keep your eyes closed."

"Okay."

"All right. Open your eyes," Jack said.

Rose gasped as she saw a medium-sized light blue house. It had a big porch with a swing, a lot of windows, and it had a balcony on the upstairs.

Rose turned to face Jack. She practically jumped into his arms.

"Oh, Jack, it's perfect!"

"I though you'd like it."

Rose gave Jack a kiss. "I love it!"


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

It had been a month since they had moved to Chippewa Falls. Their house was looking lovely. Rose and Jack were eating lunch together.

"Jack, do you like your new job here?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's a lot like my old one, except I do different kinds of drawings for the paper."

"So you like it?"

"I love it, and I love you."

"I love you, too."

As Jack and Rose finished lunch, they decided to go shopping for the baby, still to be born. Rose was now six months pregnant.

They went to a lot of stores, one being a little store that sold baby clothes. Rose and Jack picked out tons of items. They made sure either a boy or girl could wear them.

After they were done shopping they went back to the house to put stuff away.

"So Rose, what are we going to do on the fourteenth?"

"The fourteenth?" Rose asked, clueless.

"Valentine's Day."

Rose's head shot up. "I forgot all about it!"

"How about we go out to dinner and spend the whole day together? I don't have to go to work."

Rose gave Jack a hug. "This is going to be so great."

"I love when I get to spend time with you," Jack said.

"What time is it?" Rose asked.

"Um...almost 1:30. Why?"

"Well, you don't have to be at work until four o'clock. Don't you think we could..." Rose said as she looked into their bedroom.

"Why, Mrs. Dawson, that is a lovely idea," Jack said as he picked her up and carried her to their bed.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

February 14, 1913

Rose awoke with a feeling of anticipation. Snuggling farther under the covers, she looked at Jack, who still slept soundly beside her. Today was Valentine's Day. She wasn't sure what they would be doing, but Jack had promised that she would enjoy it.

Unable to lie still any longer, Rose slipped from the bed and hurried into the bathroom. By the time she was done with her bath, Jack was awake, sitting up and stretching.

Rose stood silently behind him, watching. "Good morning, Jack," she said, sitting down on the bed beside him. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Good morning, Rose." He kissed her. "Happy Valentine's Day to you, too."

"I can't believe I almost forgot about Valentine's Day," Rose commented. "Men are supposed to forget that, not women."

"Good thing I'm smarter than the average man, right?" Jack asked her, winking at her.

"Oh, you..." Rose laughed, then threw her arms around him and kissed him again.

"What are we doing today?" she asked when the kiss ended.

"Well...I don't know if I should tell you, yet," he teased her.

Rose frowned at him, sitting in his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Tell me."

"Later."

"Now." Rose traced his jaw line with her fingers.

"You don't play fair."

"No, I don't." Rose giggled. "What are we doing today?"

"Well...I thought that first I'd make you breakfast in bed, but you're already up."

"You can still make me breakfast. We'll just eat downstairs together."

"All right. And then, I thought we might go and visit the falls that Chippewa Falls is named after. They're beautiful in winter, frozen solid. Then, home for lunch and to warm up. After that, how about we go ice skating on Lake Wissota?"

"That sounds great. As long as it's really frozen solid," Rose added.

"Rose, it's thirty below. I'm sure it's really frozen solid."

"All right. And then?"

"And then we'll go out to dinner. There's a great place on the corner of Main Street, or at least it was great when I was growing up here."

"It'll be fun, I'm sure. And then," Rose whispered, "we'll come home, and I'll give you my own special thank you."

Jack grinned. "That sounds like the best idea of all." He kissed her, then gently pushed her off his lap. "Now, I need to get ready for the day. Just go relax, and I'll tell you when breakfast is ready."

*****

After breakfast, Jack and Rose dressed warmly and walked through the town to the falls. Rose had never been there before, though Jack had been there many times when he was growing up. Rose was immediately enthralled.

The falls were frozen solid, just as Jack had said, the water that would be running free in summer set in a seemingly permanent icy state. The waterfalls themselves were still present, but frozen in place, the bitter chill of winter having frozen the water before it could reach the ground below.

It was a sunny day, the sun glistening off the ice like a thousand diamonds. Icicles hung from the bare trees, where earlier thaws had melted the ice a little and then refrozen it when the cold returned. Snow covered the ground around the falls, but on the ice itself the snow had been swept away by the wind from the smooth surface. The ground was frozen as well, the snow lying thick and silent on the banks of the waters. Jack and Rose walked slowly around the falls, their feet leaving deep imprints in the snow.

When Jack grinned teasingly and dropped a bit of snow down Rose's back, she shrieked.

"I'm going to get you for that!"

Jack turned to run from her, but slipped on the icy ground, landing face first in a snowdrift. Rose was on him in an instant, scooping up a handful of snow and stuffing it down the back of his shirt.

Jack squirmed, trying to reach the snow. "Rose!"

She laughed in delight, throwing her head back, until he suddenly rolled over and dumped her into the snow, dropping down on top of her and pinning her to the snowdrift with his weight.

Rose kept laughing, amused at his expression, which was somewhere between surprise and laughter. Finally, he bent his head down to kiss her, silencing her giggles.

Rose put her arms around his neck, kissing him back. She could have stayed with him forever that way, had it not been for the cold seeping through their clothes from the snow and the icy air.

Jack finally got up, helping Rose to her feet. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting cold," he told her. "What say we go back to the house now?"

Rose shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "I think that's a good idea. One case of hypothermia is enough in a year, don't you think?"

Jack laughed, putting an arm around her as they headed toward home.

*****

As he had promised, Jack took Rose ice skating on Lake Wissota that afternoon. Rose hadn't been ice skating in years, since she was a little girl, but she picked it up quickly enough. Jack only had to catch her to keep her from falling once, and she soon returned the favor when one of his skates caught on a rough patch in the ice. Laughing and warm from the exertion, they made their way farther out on the lake.

There were a number of people out on the lake ice fishing, some out in the open and others in tents or temporary shelters set up on the ice. They skated past them, being careful not to come near to any recently chopped holes.

Jack gestured to an area to their left. "That was were I fell through the ice all those years ago. My dad and I were fishing there, and I'd finally managed to catch a fish big enough to keep. I went off across the ice to show Mom, who was waiting for us on the shore—she didn't like fishing. I didn't pay attention to where I was going and walked right over an old hole in the ice, which was much thinner than the rest of the ice." He shook his head at the memory. "I fell right through. The last thing I heard before I disappeared under the water was Dad yelling and Mom screaming. They both rushed to where I'd fallen through to rescue me. Mom was the one who could get down far enough to grab my coat—the hole wasn't very big, and Dad couldn't get close enough to pull me out. I remember the ice cracking around them when they finally pulled me out. They got me back to the shore, and they both pulled off their coats and wrapped me in them. Then they took me home."

"What happened to the fish?"

"It was still alive when I fell through the ice, so it took advantage of the unexpected opportunity and swam away."

"All that, and your fish got away, too."

"And it was a big fish, two and a half feet long."

"Is that a big fish story?"

"Well...maybe it was only two feet long, but it was still a big fish, and it did get away."

"Whatever you say," Rose teased him. They had circled around the ice fishers and were heading back to shore. "This day has been so much fun, Jack. I never want it to end."

"It's not over yet. We're still going to dinner tonight. Speaking of which, we should go home and get ready. It'll be dark soon, and there'll be a lot of people wanting to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day."

"Let's go, then," Rose told him, taking his hand and skating back to the beach.

*****

Dinner was wonderful, just as Jack had thought it would be. He and Rose arrived early enough that they could get a table, and didn't have to wait for it. Because the restaurant served large meals—larger than either of them could eat—they shared a meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. For dessert, there were pieces of rich chocolate cake.

Rose ate hungrily, thoroughly enjoying the meal. It was much less formal than what she had been used to when she was a member of the upper class, but the food was good, and so was the company. The waitress was polite and efficient but not fawning, unlike many of the upper class servants who would jump to clean up the tiniest spilled crumb and asked constantly whether the food met their approval.

Jack remembered coming to the restaurant several times when he was younger with his parents. This had been their favorite place to go on their wedding anniversary, and they had usually brought him along. Those had been good times, and he hoped that he could create a tradition with Rose of coming here, too.

Rose noticed him looking at her and smiled, putting her last bite of cake in her mouth.

"Good dinner?" he asked her, seeing her obvious appreciation.

"Wonderful. The food is as good as when I was rich, but the company is better. You're much more fun to eat dinner with than those shallow, narrow people I used to know."

"Thanks." Jack smiled at her, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, wrapped package. "I have something for you."

"You do?" Rose took the package, turning it over in her hands and inspecting it. "What is it?"

"Why don't you open it and find out?"

Smiling, Rose opened the small package. Opening the box inside the wrapping, she gasped in surprise at the sight of a delicate gold pendant that matched the earrings he had given her perfectly.

"Jack, this is beautiful!" She had worn the earrings that night, so she carefully took the necklace from the box and put it on, fastening the chain around her neck. "How does it look?"

"Beautiful, just like you."

"Jack, I'm sorry...I don't have a gift for you."

"That's all right, Rose. You're gift enough."

"Thank you, Jack. I love you." She paused. "On second thought, I do have a gift of sorts. I got a letter from Fred and Monica yesterday. They'll be coming out to see us late in March. I didn't have a chance to give you the letter yesterday, and then I forgot about it—until now."

"That's a perfect gift. It'll be good to see them again. How long has it been—about five weeks since we've seen them?"

"It seems like longer. They've been such good friends to us, Jack."

"Well, we'll fix up the guest room for them. There's no use in them staying in a hotel when we have plenty of space."

Jack paid the bill and left a tip for the waitress, then ushered Rose out the door, putting an arm around her to shield her from the cold.

"Ready to go home?" he asked.

Rose turned and kissed him on the cheek. "Of course. You haven't forgotten about my thank you, have you?"

Jack chuckled. "How could I forget?" he asked, walking down the street in the direction of their house, Rose snuggled against him. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you, too, Jack."


	21. Chapter TwentyOne

Chapter Twenty-One

March 1913

Jack and Rose stood outside the train station, waiting for Fred and Monica's train to appear. They had written to say that they would arrive on the one o'clock train on March 27, but it was now 1:15 and there was no sign of the train.

"Do you think everything is all right, Jack?" Rose asked anxiously, looking down the tracks for the train.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Jack told her. "The local train is always running late."

They kept watching anxiously down the tracks for the train to appear. Finally, just after 1:30, they heard the distant whistle of the train, and a short time later, the train appeared, chugging slowly into the station.

Fred and Monica were almost the last ones off. Rose ran up and hugged Monica, a little awkwardly now that she was five months pregnant. She wasn't huge yet, but she was beginning to show. Monica hugged her back, while Jack and Fred shook hands and slapped each other on the back.

Fred and Jack picked up the luggage and began the long walk back to the house, Rose and Monica strolling ahead of them. Jack and Rose eagerly pointed out the sights of their town, promising to take their friends to see the falls, the lake, and the restaurants and stores of the town while they were there.

When they reached the house, Jack and Rose got Fred and Monica settled in the guest room. Once they were settled, everyone came downstairs to eat a late lunch and talk.

"So, how is Chippewa Falls?" Fred asked Jack and Rose, biting into his sandwich.

"It's beautiful here," Rose responded, "and so peaceful."

"Yeah," Jack added. "No traffic, no people talking and yelling late at night, just the quiet sounds of a small farming town."

"Wait until you see the falls," Rose added. "They're still frozen solid. So is Lake Wissota. Jack and I visited both on Valentine's Day. We even went ice-skating on Lake Wissota."

"But not ice-fishing?" Fred asked. Jack had told him the story of how he had fallen through the ice on Lake Wissota years before.

"No, not ice-fishing," Jack said. "Maybe we can do that while you're here."

"How are things in New York?" Rose asked, setting a bowl of apples on the table.

"They're all right," Monica responded. "It's a little warmer there than here, but that just makes the snow melt and form ice slicks."

Rose nodded, remembering how things had been in Philadelphia when she was growing up. The winter weather could be unpleasant in either place. Of course, it could be unpleasant in Chippewa Falls, too, with the biting cold.

"It's as noisy and lively as ever," Fred added. "People around at all hours, day and night. It's never boring."

"Actually, we were thinking of finding a place a little quieter," Monica told them. "New York is nice, but a little more peace and quiet would be nice, too."

"Maybe you could move to Chippewa Falls," Jack suggested. "There's a house for sale not far from here, and I know of several places that will be hiring once spring comes and people go back to working on the farms."

"What do you think, Monica?" Fred asked, looking at his wife. "Do want to check that house out?"

"Sure," Monica replied. "It would be nice to see Jack and Rose more often. This seems like a nice little town, besides."

"Why do you suddenly want to move?" Rose wanted to know. "I thought you liked New York City."

"We do," Monica told her, "but like you and Jack said, it's not the best place to raise a child."

"A child?" Rose asked, her eyes widening. "Monica, are you..."

"Yes," Monica said, blushing a little.

Rose squealed. "That's fantastic! When?"

"In September."

"Oh, how wonderful! Our babies will be only a couple of months apart. You've got to move to Chippewa Falls—or at least somewhere near here."

"You see, Fred?" Monica poked her husband in the ribs. "I told you moving would be a good idea."

"You're right, honey. As always."

Monica poked him in the ribs again. "We finally got that straight."

Jack and Rose just laughed.

*****

The next day, the Winkings looked at the house Jack and Rose had mentioned. It was a two-story Victorian style building, with four bedrooms, a bathroom, and a big living room with a view of the countryside. Jack and Rose came with them, pointing out everything that could be seen from the windows of the house.

The owner had been trying to sell for several months, without luck. He looked hopeful as the Winkings explored the house with increasing interest, Jack and Rose working as hard as him to sell the house to them.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked, when the tour was over.

"What's the price you're asking?" Fred asked, looking around the spacious living room.

"Three thousand dollars, though I can go a little lower."

"What do you think, Monica?"

"Well, since we'll be selling the apartment building in New York for more than that, I think we can afford it." When Fred looked a little reluctant, she added, "It's such a nice town—and our best friends are here."

"It'll take a while to sell the apartment building, Monica."

"You can make a down payment now," the owner interjected, "and pay the rest of it off in installments. Three hundred dollars for a down payment, and then fifty dollars a month until it is paid off. You can pay it off sooner if you want."

"I think we should buy it," Monica said, "even though it'll be a few months before we can move here."

Fred still looked reluctant, but when Monica, Jack, and Rose started looking at him beseechingly, he finally relented. "All right. We'll take it."

The owner smiled. "Thank you. Thank you very much. You don't know how long I've been trying to sell this place..."

"Four months," Jack and Rose interjected. Not much went on unnoticed in Chippewa Falls.

"Yes. Four months," the owner reluctantly admitted.

"I have just enough money for the down payment," Fred told him, "and I will send the rest of the payments from New York, at least until we get the building sold."

"That will be fine. Now, I have all the papers ready, drawn up by my lawyer. Just read them over and sign, and the house is yours."

*****

The next day, the Dawsons and the Winkings visited the falls and Lake Wissota. The Winkings were impressed with the falls, with the frozen cascades of water set into seemingly eternal icicles, but their favorite stop was Lake Wissota.

As he had promised, Jack taught the others how to ice fish. The lake was still frozen several feet deep, making it safe to walk on. This also made it difficult to chop a hole in the ice, but Jack remembered a trick he had learned long ago to make it easier.

After walking across the frozen surface for a while, he found a partially frozen over hole that someone else had chopped, and went back for the others. As they watched, he opened up the hole in the ice again. The ice on the lake was three and a half feet thick, but the previously chopped hole had ice only one and a half feet thick.

Once the hole was chopped, Jack demonstrated how to ice fish, earning the laughter of the others when he soon proved not to have been ice-fishing in a long time. Live bait was used, small fish that would attract the attention of larger fish. In order to bait the hook, he had to remove his mittens and put his hands into the bucket of ice-encrusted water in which the bait swam. The hook had to be baited in the water, because if it wasn't, the bitter cold would freeze the bait solid and split it open before it could be placed on the hook. The hook then had to be dropped quickly into the water under the ice.

Rose didn't like ice-fishing at first; she hated having to plunge her bare hands into the cold water to bait the hook, and she also didn't like having to grab the squirming fish used as bait. She felt sorry for them when she put the hook through them, still squirming and trying to escape.

Her attitude changed somewhat, however, when she managed to catch the biggest fish of anyone. Something tugged hard at her line, almost yanking the pole from her hands. Standing up, she stepped backward, reeling her catch in as Jack watched the hole to see what she had caught. At the last moment, she yanked on the line, slipping and landing in a very undignified position—and bringing in her fish.

The fish flopped furiously on the ice, trying to slip back into the hole and escape. As Fred and Monica helped Rose to her feet, Jack killed the fish for her, hoisting it high in the air. Giving the fish back to his wife, he stepped back as Monica pulled out her camera and snapped a picture of Rose holding up her prize.

They ate part of Rose's catch for dinner that night, putting the rest of the fish they had caught in a shed in back of the house, where it would stay frozen until the spring thaw. Rose had never cooked fish before, but Monica had, and showed her how to bake it with herbs and lemon.

Everyone agreed that the fish was good, but to Rose, it was particularly good because she had caught it herself.

*****

Two days later, Fred and Monica had to return to New York. Jack and Rose went with them to the train station.

"I'm going to miss you!" Rose exclaimed, hugging Monica.

"I'll miss you, too," Monica told her.

"We'll be moving here in just a little while," Fred pointed out. "Just as soon as we sell the apartment building."

"I know, but still..." Monica hugged Rose. "I'll send you copies of the pictures I took here. Especially that picture of you with the fish."

"Thanks," Rose returned, looking to see the train pulling in. It was on time, for once.

"Well, we'll see you soon," Jack told the Winkings, giving Monica the luggage he had carried to the train station for her.

"Be sure to write to us," Rose added, waving as they stepped on board the train.

"We will," Fred called, leaning out a window to wave back. "Don't forget to write back!"

Jack and Rose watched, still waving, until the train pulled out of the station and chugged out of sight.


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

Chapter Twenty-Two

July 22, 1913

Rose waddled through the house, off-balance from her now-enormous middle. She was nine months pregnant now, and the baby would be born any day. Sighing, she sank down in a chair, rubbing her back.

She could hardly wait for the baby to be born. Her swollen mid-section made it difficult to get in and out of bed, or even in and out of chairs. Her ankles were swollen, and the baby kept her awake at night kicking. But she was also looking forward to holding the baby in her arms, to caring for her own child.

With effort, she pulled herself from the chair and walked toward the door. There wasn't much housework, and she had already finished it. Usually when her work was done, she liked to sit and read, or go out into the sunshine and relax, or visit with neighbors. Today, however, she felt restless.

She had actually been restless for the past few days, first impulsively cleaning the house from top to bottom, and then writing letters to everyone she knew outside of Chippewa Falls, including Fred and Monica, who had not yet found a buyer for the apartment building, and her mother, who had at last given up on the idea of Rose marrying Cal, and now accepted her daughter's marriage to Jack. Ruth still wasn't too fond of her son-in-law, but she had visited in June, and had decided that she could tolerate Jack, if not like him.

Rose had been relieved by her mother's acceptance of the situation, and had gotten her to promise to come to visit again after the baby was born. Ruth had stammered her thanks at the invitation and tried to make an excuse about not having enough money, but Rose knew that her father's debts hadn't been as great as her mother had feared, and Ruth had plenty of money. She was just uncomfortable at the idea of frequent visits with her daughter and less than well-liked son-in-law. But Jack and Rose did not have the time to make frequent trips to Philadelphia, so if Ruth wanted to see her grandchild, she had to come to them.

Looking out the window at the bright summer sunshine, Rose decided that it was the perfect time to go for a walk. After she had the baby, it would be a week or so, at least, before she could go out walking again. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she placed a large straw hat on her head and headed out the door.

Several people that she knew waved as she walked past. Rose waved back, smiling contentedly. She paused to watch a toddler pick a handful of dandelions and present them to his mother with a grubby fist, wondering if her own baby would ever do that.

Slowly, she walked on, enjoying the warm summer air and the scents of roses and other flowers in people's yards. She was slowly but surely learning to keep her own garden, but the flowers were not nearly so magnificent as those of some of her neighbors. Shrugging to herself, she stopped to smell a patch of flowers. Hers would be as nice once she learned what she was doing.

It wasn't long before Rose found herself at the lake. No longer frozen, the waves lapped gently at the shore, the sunlight sparkling off the surface. Scooping up a few smooth, round stones, she tossed them into the water, watching them skip across the surface. She smiled, remembering the day Jack had taught her to skip stones.

She strolled along, watching a trio of boys fishing and yelling with delight as one of them reeled in a large trout. Laughing softly at their antics, she moved on, looking out at the spot where she had caught the fish back in March.

The water was cool and pleasant when she dipped her fingers in it, so she found an open stretch of sand and took off her shoes, holding up her skirt as she waded into the lake. A man in a boat stopped and stared as she moved farther out, exposing an indecent amount of leg, but Rose just smiled and waved. Shaking his head, he paddled away, wondering what the world was coming to.

Rose splashed about for half an hour before she decided that she'd had enough. Wading back to shore, she lowered herself carefully to the sand, letting her feet and legs dry, before brushing away the sand and slipping her shoes back on.

Reaching into her pocket, Rose felt the small amount of money she had placed there before she left home and decided to walk into town for lunch. Maybe she would stop by Jack's workplace at the small newspaper building. His boss never seemed to mind if he had visitors, as long as he still got his work done.

After eating lunch at a small restaurant, Rose wandered down to the newspaper building. The receptionist waved her on in, recognizing her from previous visits. A moment later, she knocked at the door of Jack's office.

"Come in," he called.

Rose could hear the shuffling of papers as she opened the door. Jack sat at his desk, several drawings in various stages of completion scattered around him. His fingers were smudged with black, and he had a streak of charcoal on his nose.

She laughed as she came into the office and shut the door. "Hello, Jack."

"Hey, Rose. What are you doing in town? And what's so funny?"

"I decided to go for a walk and wound up here. And as to what's funny..." She pointed to the charcoal smudge on his nose. Jack swiped at it, succeeding only in spreading it farther across his face. Rose giggled and came over to him, wiping the smudge away herself.

"Thanks," Jack told her, looking at the smear of black on her fingers. "Have a seat."

"Do you mind if I stay awhile?" Rose asked, sinking into the chair beside the desk. "It's been a long walk, and the baby is kicking me unmercifully today."

"Maybe it wants out." Jack looked at her distended middle. "Stay as long as you like. I'm really making progress today. Look at this."

He showed her his cartoon for the next morning's edition, a political cartoon of Woodrow Wilson. Rose examined it. He had caricatured the president humorously, commenting on his latest actions.

"I also finished this," Jack told her, showing her an ad for people to work on the fair in the fall. It featured cows, corn, and if Rose wasn't mistaken, a curly-haired milkmaid who looked like her. She grimaced when she saw it.

Jack shrugged casually. "You're my inspiration," he told her.

"You think I'd make a good milkmaid, do you?"

"I think you'd be good at anything you wanted," he said, ducking as she swatted playfully at him with the paper.

"I think I'd better have this baby before I try milking any cows. I can hardly get up and down as it is." She leaned back, closing her eyes and rubbing her stomach as the baby gave her another hard kick.

"Rose? Are you all right?" She opened her eyes to see Jack looking worriedly at her.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "The baby is just kicking, is all."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

*****

Rose sat in Jack's office all afternoon, watching him work. When she grew bored, she read that day's edition of the newspaper, which she hadn't looked at before leaving home.

Jack watched her with increasing concern. She continued to complain about the baby's hard kicks, more and more frequently as the afternoon passed. At times, she would lean back, close her eyes, and rub her back and stomach, but she always insisted that she was fine when he asked.

Finally, it was five o'clock and time to leave. Jack packed up his art supplies and helped Rose out of her chair, walking out of the office with his arm around her. They were walking toward the front door when Rose stopped, bending over and holding her stomach, her eyes tightly closed.

"Rose! Are you all right?" Jack asked, steadying her.

"I think I was wrong about those kicks," she told him, straightening up. "I think the baby is ready to be born."

"The doctor's office is only a couple of blocks away. Do you think you can make it there?"

Rose nodded. "I think so."

They started toward the door, but had gotten only a few steps when Rose gave a shocked exclamation.

"Oh! Oh, my goodness!"

She looked down as a warm gush of fluid rushed from her body, puddling on the wooden floor. Stepping back, she turned bright red with embarrassment.

The receptionist had rushed out at the sound of Rose's voice. "Oh! Your water broke," she exclaimed, seeing the puddle on the floor. The older woman was a widow and the mother of three children, giving her plenty of experience in such matters.

"My water?" Rose asked faintly, not understanding what she was talking about.

"The water that cushions the baby. You'll be a mother soon." She began issuing orders. Escorting Rose to a chair, she told Jack, "Go get the doctor. He has a carriage he can bring both of you back to your house in." To Rose, she said, "Just sit still. Your husband will get the doctor for you as soon as he can."

She stepped over to a small closet and removed a mop, wiping up the puddle on the floor. Rose watched her, still not quite believing that she was in labor, that in a few hours she would be a mother.

The receptionist kept up a running dialogue. "Nothing to worry about, really. I've had three of my own, back when there was no doctor in this town. The womenfolk helped me then. And all my babies lived, and grew up. My two sons are still in this town, and my daughter lives in Eau Claire with her husband."

She rambled on, talking about whatever came to mind. Rose had little to say, but listened quietly, soothed by the woman's confident words. She could only hope that the birth would go well.

*****

Jack returned a short time later, the doctor in tow. They helped Rose out of her chair and into the carriage, hurrying her toward home. Jack held Rose's hand the whole time, not objecting when she squeezed his hand so hard he winced. She was in considerably more pain than he was.

They finally reached the house. Jack helped Rose from the carriage and into the house, going up the stairs with her and helping her change into a nightgown and lay down on the bed. The doctor followed them, allowing Rose privacy to change.

There was an argument, however, when he insisted that Jack leave.

"No!" Rose and Jack protested in unison.

"I want him here," Rose added.

"I'm staying," Jack told the doctor, refusing to leave.

The doctor shook his head and rubbed his temples. The Dawsons weren't the first to object to the father not being present at the birth, but the fact remained that fathers did not belong at births. It wasn't something they needed to see.

"Mr. Dawson, I must insist that you leave. You're welcome to wait outside—"

"I'm not leaving," Jack insisted, sitting down beside Rose on the bed. Rose took his hand gratefully.

"You don't belong here."

"Why not?"

"It's not something you need to see."

"No, I don't _need to see it, but I __want to see it."_

"Look, Mr. Dawson—"

"He's staying!" Rose declared, gripping Jack's hand tightly as another pain came over her. When it ended, she added, "If he leaves, so do I."

"Mrs. Dawson, you can't honestly mean that you want your husband here."

"Yes, I do mean it. I want him here. This is our baby, and he deserves to see it born." Both Dawsons glared at the doctor, challenging him to separate them at this moment.

Overruled, the doctor shrugged. "Have it your way," he told them. "But if you, Mr. Dawson, can't handle seeing this, you'll have to leave."

"I'll be fine. I'm not the one who's giving birth."

"No, you're just watching it. There's a reason why fathers don't belong at births."

Jack soon learned why the doctor didn't want him there. He paled and fretted over Rose, who seemed to be in an incredible amount of pain. But every time he began to object to something, the doctor sent him a warning look, telling him that he was welcome to leave any time. Rose glared at him when he considered leaving, latching onto his hand and refusing to let go.

*****

Hours later, near eleven o'clock, the baby was ready to be born. Rose half sat up, clinging to Jack's hand and crying out in pain. She pushed when the doctor told her to, but it seemed to take an incredibly long time.

Soon, Rose didn't need the doctor's instructions to push. Her body took over, bearing down, struggling to bring the child into the world. It hurt, but every push brought her closer to her goal—the birth of her baby.

Finally, at 11:15, Rose gave one final push. Bracing herself, she put all of her strength into that last push, squeezing Jack's hand and gritting her teeth. The baby slid from her body, wailing in protest as the doctor picked it up.

"It's a girl!" the doctor announced, cutting the umbilical cord and clearing out the infant's mouth and nose. The baby continued to cry, furious at being squeezed out of her warm, dark home and into the outside world.

The doctor handed the newborn infant to her parents, allowing them to see their firstborn child. Rose held the messy, squalling baby, while Jack sat at her side, touching the tiny hands, feet, and face of the baby.

She had her mother's red hair, and, they quickly observed, her father's blue eyes. It was a beautiful combination, though the baby quickly closed her eyes again and continued to wail, kicking and waving her arms, unaccustomed to the freedom of movement.

All too soon, the doctor finished taking care of Rose and took the baby to clean her up. Rose sat up, pulling the quilt over herself, as she watched the doctor wash her newborn daughter and check her over.

"She's beautiful," Jack commented, looking at his daughter. The infant had quieted, but began squalling again at being bathed, flailing her tiny limbs and howling in protest.

"She is," Rose agreed, laying back down. She was exhausted from the birth, but also overjoyed. They had a beautiful, healthy daughter.

"What should we name her?" Jack asked, taking the baby into his arms as the doctor brought her to them, clean, dressed, and wrapped in a blanket. He handed the tiny girl to Rose.

Rose cradled her, stroking the little red head. "What was your mother's name?"

"My mother's name? Elisa."

"Then that should be her name. After both of our mothers. Elisa Ruth Dawson."


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

Chapter Twenty-Three

August 8, 1913

Jack and Rose walked down to the train depot, baby Elisa in Rose's arms. Jack had a letter in his pocket from Fred and Monica, who had finally succeeded in selling the apartment building. They had written to say that they would be arriving in Chippewa Falls on August eighth.

As they waited at the station, Jack took Elisa from Rose and cuddled her, rocking her to sleep. The infant was just over two weeks old, and already she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger. Jack adored her, spending hours cuddling his baby daughter when he came home from work in the evening. Elisa loved the attention, lying calmly in her father's arms, and only crying when she needed something.

Rose took the letter from Jack, re-reading it. It had been sent shortly before the Winkings had left New York City, so they hadn't written back. Their friends would arrive before a letter would have a chance to reach them.

It had taken several months for Fred and Monica to sell the apartment building. Buyers were hard to find, especially those willing to pay what the building was worth. Many people didn't want the responsibility of being landlords, making it harder to sell than a single house.

They had finally succeeded in selling it, though, and had left for Chippewa Falls a week later, informing the Dawsons of when they would be arriving. Now, Jack and Rose waited anxiously for the train to appear.

The train finally arrived about twenty minutes later, announcing itself with a loud whistle that set Elisa to wailing. Rose took her daughter back and rocked her, soothing the frightened infant, as Jack stepped forward to help with the luggage.

Fred and Monica emerged from the train a moment later, Monica moving awkwardly from her swollen middle. Rose ran up and hugged her, cradling Elisa in one arm.

"Monica! It's so good to see you."

"Rose! I thought we'd never get around to moving. But we finally did. Is this your daughter?"

Rose nodded proudly. "Yes. Fred, Monica, meet Elisa Ruth Dawson."

Elisa opened her blue eyes and stared in blank fascination at the strangers for a moment before closing her eyes again, her thumb finding its way into her mouth.

"She's darling, Rose." Monica stroked a tiny fist, smiling when the baby gripped her fingers. "All that red hair—just like her mother. And those blue eyes..."

"She got the best of both of us," Rose told her, stroking her daughter's back. Elisa took her thumb from her mouth, dozing contentedly on her mother's shoulder.

Jack and Fred had brought most of the luggage by this time. Setting it down, they looked around for a way to transport it back to the Winkings new house. Fred waved to someone still on the train.

When Jack looked at him curiously, he explained, "Monica and I met some people traveling this way who said they knew a Jack Dawson from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. We got to talking, and they said that you'd died on the Titanic. Of course, we knew that you were alive and well, so we invited them to accompany us to Chippewa Falls to see for themselves."

Jack and Rose looked at each other. Who could possibly have known that Jack was from Chippewa Falls and had been on the Titanic?

Jack immediately thought of Fabrizio, but knew that it wasn't possible. If his friend had lived, they would have met up again on the Carpathia. No, it wasn't possible...it had to be someone else that he had met on board the ship, some acquaintance that he didn't really remember. And yet...what if it was Fabrizio? Could he possibly have survived?


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jack and Rose stared, slack-jawed, as Fabrizio di Rossi and Tommy Ryan stepped down from the train, each carrying only a single bag that held their possessions. They had thought that both Fabrizio and Tommy had died on the Titanic, but here they were, alive.

Fabrizio and Tommy stared back at them, unable to believe their eyes. For over a year, they had believed that Jack and Rose were among the fifteen hundred victims of the Titanic sinking, and yet, they were here, alive and well, with a young baby as well.

Jack reacted first. Still not quite believing that it could be true, he stepped forward. "Fabri?"

"Jack!"

They rushed forward and hugged, everyone else looking on in wonder. It wasn't every day that long-lost friends, thought dead, were reunited. Suddenly, everyone was asking questions.

"How did you survive?"

"I thought you were dead. Why didn't I find you on the Carpathia?"

"What have you been doing the last year and a half?"

Reluctantly, Fred and Monica interrupted the reunion.

"Why don't we find a way to ship all of this stuff to our house?" Fred suggested, looking at the four suddenly reunited Titanic survivors.

"Yes. We can't just leave it here, and the train will be leaving soon," Monica added.

Jack, Rose, Tommy, and Fabrizio had still been staring at each other, hugging and shouting questions, when the Winkings' words got through to them. Reluctantly, they put off their celebrating and turned to the task of helping Fred and Monica bring their belongings to their new home.

Jack, who was the most familiar with Chippewa Falls, hurried down to a nearby warehouse to borrow a wagon. When he returned, driving the wagon, they loaded the Winkings' belongings into it and started for their new home.

*****

When the group arrived at Fred and Monica's new home, they rushed to unload the wagon. The four men brought the heavier items in, while Rose and Monica brought in the lighter bags and boxes, walking through the house and planning where everything should go.

Once everything was unloaded, Jack returned the wagon to the warehouse, while Fred, Tommy, and Fabrizio began unpacking. Rose and Monica walked to the Dawson's house to make dinner. The Winkings' home wouldn't be ready for quite some time yet.

A few hours later, everyone gathered at the Dawsons' house. The men had finished most of the unpacking at the Winkings' house, though things still needed to be arranged and set up. Rose and Monica were just finishing making dinner when they arrived.

At dinner, Jack and Rose wanted to know what Tommy and Fabrizio had been doing since the Titanic sank, and how they had survived. Jack had already told them how he and Rose had survived, and what they had been doing for the past year and a half, but now the Dawsons wanted to know what their friends had been doing all this time, and how they had survived.

Tommy began. "There were only a few boats left—not nearly enough for all of the passengers still on board the Titanic."

Jack and Rose nodded, remembering the struggle to get into a boat—and how Rose had jumped out to be with Jack. They had both been extraordinarily lucky to survive.

"Fabrizio and I were trying to get close enough to get into one, but there was an officer with a gun guarding it, shouting that only women and children could get into the boat. A first class man had tried to bribe him to give him a place in the boat, but the officer threw the money back in his face, shouting that his money couldn't save him. While this was happening, a steerage man climbed up and tried to jump into the boat, but the officer shot at him. Everyone panicked then, and I was shoved forward toward him. I guess he thought I was trying to rush the boat, because he shot me right then and there."

Rose gasped in sympathy, and Jack looked horrified. He had told them to go and check the other side of the ship for boats, and this was what had happened. A wave of guilt went through him. They all should have stuck together.

Tommy went on. "I fell back into the crowd. The last thing I remembered before blacking out was Fabrizio calling the officer a _bastardo._ Then, everything went black."

"How did you survive?" Jack wanted to know. His fist clenched his fork at the thought of what his friends had survived.

"I woke up when a wave washed me off the deck. Fabrizio had assumed that I was dead, and had taken my lifebelt, so I was lucky to stay afloat." Fabrizio looked a little sheepish. "There was a boat nearby, and someone pulled me into it. I don't remember much more, except being told that the bullet hadn't hit any vital organs. Whoever had rescued me pressed a handkerchief against the wound to slow the bleeding. It was bad, but I survived. I woke up several hours later on the Carpathia, in the second class infirmary. The injury was bad, but the Carpathia had a good doctor, who was able to remove the bullet and patch me up."

Fabrizio started in on his story. "After Tommy was shot, and I took his lifebelt—" Tommy sent him a baleful look, which Fabrizio ignored. "—I searched for another boat to get into, but there was only one boat left on the ship. There was a huge crowd surrounding it, and another officer was only allowing women and children on board. I pushed my way through the crowd anyway, hoping that there might be room on board for some men, too. One man got on board, the same one who had tried to bribe the officer who shot Tommy. He'd picked up a little steerage girl and used her to get himself on board the boat. I was getting close to the boat when a wave washed over the deck. Most of the people in the boat were washed out of it, and I was swept into the water."

Jack and Rose had stopped eating and were listening intently. What Tommy and Fabrizio had survived was as bad, if not worse, than what they had gone through.

"Did...did you get into the boat?" Rose inquired, trying to understand how he had survived, when there had been no room in a boat for him.

"Eventually. One of the ship's smokestacks collapsed, crushing several people. I was almost crushed, but managed to dive down far enough to escape the worst of it. When I got back to the surface, the boat had floated off the deck, and several people were on board, with more struggling to get in. The first class man who had used the little girl to get in the boat was clubbing people with an oar when they tried to climb aboard, yelling that they would swamp the boat. He almost hit me, but I grabbed hold of the oar, and when he went to swing it again, I let it pull me into the boat."

Rose looked at Jack, knowing instinctively who the first class man had been who had attempted to bribe the officer, used the little girl to get a place in the boat, and clubbed people trying to get into the lifeboat had been. Cal. Of all the pompous, arrogant first class men she had known, only Cal would have gone so far. If only he had been put in jail for shooting her...but there was nothing to be done for that. He was far away, and none of them needed to be worried about him anymore.

"The Carpathia picked us up in the morning. I looked around for you, Jack, but I couldn't find you."

Jack wondered at that for a moment, then realized that with all the hiding he and Rose had done, it wasn't surprising that Fabrizio hadn't found them.

"Why didn't you check the list of survivors?"

"I did, but you weren't on it. Neither was Rose."

Jack realized that Fabrizio was right. He and Rose hadn't given their names until the ship docked. By that time, Fabrizio had undoubtedly given up on finding them.

Fabrizio continued. "When I was leaving the Carpathia, I was behind a group of sick and injured survivors. One of them looked familiar, so I went to see if I knew the person. It was Tommy."

"Yeah, after you took my lifebelt and left me for dead on the Titanic."

"Shut up." Fabrizio mumbled something about crazy Irishmen under his breath, then went on. "I didn't know anyone else in America, so I waited until Tommy was released from the hospital a week later."

"He came and visited, and we fought about the lifebelt until a nurse threw him out," Tommy told them, drawing laughter from the others. "We called a truce when he left the hospital. Since we didn't have anywhere to go, or anything to do, Fabrizio convinced me to explore our new country with him. After all, we almost died getting here, so it made sense to see everything there was to see. We wandered around the East for about a year, and then decided to work our way west. Fabrizio had heard about California from Jack and wanted to go there, so we slowly started west."

"It was really slow. Neither of us had any money, so we worked our way from place to place, just like Jack and I did in Europe. We were on the train to California when we got to talking with them." Fabrizio indicated the Winkings. "We asked where they were going, and they said Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. I knew that Jack had come from there, so I asked if they had known him. They said they did, and that he was living there. I thought it must be another Jack Dawson, because the one I knew had died on the Titanic. They said that the one they knew had survived the Titanic, and encouraged us to detour to Chippewa Falls with them to see for ourselves."

"I didn't believe them, either," Tommy added, "but they were right. I couldn't believe it when I got off the train and saw you two standing there—and with a baby in Rose's arms. I guess you didn't die after all."

"Nope. We survived. Just barely, but we did it." Jack put his fork down beside his empty plate. "Where are you heading next?"

Tommy and Fabrizio glanced at each other.

"California, I guess," Tommy responded. He wasn't nearly so excited about going there as Fabrizio was, but went along for lack of anything else to do.

"Why don't you stay here for a while?" Jack suggested. "We have a couple of extra rooms, since the baby sleeps in our room with us. You could stay for a couple of weeks, maybe find some work while you're here. It's getting toward harvest time, and there'll be jobs available."

"Yes. Please stay for a while," Rose added. "We haven't seen you in so long. It would be good to have you here."

Fabrizio nodded. "Sure. I can stay for a while. California will wait."

Tommy thought for a moment, then nodded. "Me, too. I could use a break from traveling, and it'll be good to catch up on old times. Count me in."

Jack smiled, welcoming his friends to Chippewa Falls.


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

Chapter Twenty-Five

August 15, 1913

At first, Rose was thrilled to have Tommy and Fabrizio staying with them, but after a few days she began to regret agreeing to the arrangement. Between Jack, his friends, and the baby, she found that she had far too much work to do. The men ate an incredible amount of food, tracked dirt on her clean floors, and talked loudly, waking the baby.

It irritated her, but instead of complaining, or asking for help, Rose just sulked about the situation. Finally, after breakfast one morning, she looked at the huge pile of dishes waiting to be washed and blew up.

"You and your friends are pigs, you know that?" she snapped at Jack, who was the last one to leave for work. Tommy and Fabrizio had found farm jobs, and left much earlier, but Jack didn't leave until around 7:30 AM.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked her, mystified as to why she was suddenly so upset. His first thought was that she must be tired, after getting up several times during the night to tend to Elisa. But her words soon changed his mind.

"Look at this—look at all these dishes I have to wash! I do your cooking, too! And look over there. Mud on my freshly scrubbed floor. Couldn't you at least wipe your feet before coming in? Oh, and don't get me started about the way you talk. You sound like you're trying to let the whole county know what you're saying. Then Elisa wakes up and cries, and guess who gets to comfort her? Not you or your friends!"

"Why didn't you say something before? Tommy and Fabrizio have been here for several days. You should have said something."

"_I should have said something? _You _should have noticed!"_

"How am I supposed to notice that there's a problem if you don't say anything?"

"Oh, like it isn't obvious. There's dirt on the floor, and _your_ daughter wakes up crying at all the noise."

"_Excuse me. I never paid attention to the floor. It looked fine to me. And babies are always crying." His voice was growing loud. "If you've been finding it so much trouble, why didn't you ask us to be quiet, or to help cook and clean? We all know how."_

"I don't believe you. You wouldn't have helped. You're too busy with your friends. I wish we hadn't asked them to stay!" Inside, Rose knew that Jack, Fabrizio, and Tommy probably would help if she asked, but she was too angry to care.

"_Rose..." Jack said her name warningly._

"Don't talk to me that way, Jack. You should have known that I can't cook and clean for all of you. And don't even try to help. You'd probably make a bigger mess of things than they already are."

Jack looked at her angrily. "You don't want my help? Fine. I won't help you. I'll just let you keep doing everything yourself. Don't complain to me about having too much to do. You brought it on yourself." He stalked away, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Rose demanded.

"Work. Or don't you want to have a house to live in?" He stomped out the front door, slamming it behind him.

From upstairs, there came a wail. The noise had awakened Elisa. Rose hurried upstairs, to see her daughter lying in her cradle, wailing and kicking her legs furiously.

"I'm sorry, Elisa," she murmured, picking the baby up and patting her back soothingly.

Elisa continued to wail. Finally, Rose carried her downstairs, settling onto the couch and rocking her until she calmed and went back to sleep.

Now that she had a chance to think about it, Rose was sorry that she'd yelled at Jack the way she had. He hadn't done anything to deserve it. To be sure, he and his friends could be slobs, but they weren't that bad. She was just tired of cooking for them and cleaning up after them. She should have accepted Jack's offer of help, but she'd been too angry to think clearly.

Sighing, she leaned back against the couch, cradling the sleeping baby. She would have to find a way to work things out with Jack when he came home from work—if he wanted to work things out. She had really blown up at him, and she wouldn't blame him a bit for still being angry with her later.

Rose's thoughts were interrupted by a sound from inside the house. Looking up, she frowned, wondering if one of their guests had come home early, or if Jack had decided to talk to her before he went to work.

"Tommy? Fabrizio? Are you home?"

No response.

"Jack? Is that you?" Was he home again? It didn't seem likely. "Jack?"

More footsteps. A chill ran down Rose's spine. Jack would have answered her. So would Fabrizio and Tommy.

"Who's there?" she demanded, starting to get up off the couch.

The source of the footsteps appeared, blocking the doorway to the room. It wasn't Jack.

It was Cal.


	26. Chapter TwentySix

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rose stared at Cal. She half-stood, wanting to run, but sank back onto the couch, afraid of harm coming to Elisa. As her mind whirled with indecision, Cal approached her.

"Hello, sweetpea. It's been a long time."

At that, Rose regained her courage. "Not long enough," she retorted, staring at him. "What are you doing here?"

Cal smiled. "I came to see my fiancée, sweetpea."

Rose didn't return the smile. "I'm not your fiancée anymore. Get it through your thick skull. I'm Jack Dawson's wife. We have a baby." She glared at him. "Go find someone else."

Cal shook his head, the smile vanishing. "I don't think so, sweetpea." He pulled a gun from his pocket, aiming it at them. "You're coming with me."

Rose got to her feet, standing firm, though her heart was pounding with fear. She remembered his attempt to shoot herself and Jack on the Titanic, the way he had shot her and almost killed her in New York City—and the way that he was allowed to go free, calling it an accident. Would the same thing happen this time?

"No, Cal. I'm not going anywhere with you."

Cal just looked at her, then turned the gun slightly, aiming it directly at Elisa. "If you want that baby to live, you'll do as I say." His voice was hard and implacable.

Rose stared at him. "You won't shoot her. Even you wouldn't kill an innocent child."

Cal continued to point the gun at the baby, his hand and his expression never wavering. With a sick, sinking feeling, Rose realized that Cal would kill Elisa if she didn't obey him.

"At least let me bring Elisa," Rose pleaded. "She's too young to be left alone."

Cal looked at the infant for a moment, then nodded, gesturing toward the door with the gun.

Her heart pounding with dread, Rose walked in the direction he indicated, the still-sleeping baby cradled in her arms. Cal followed behind them, the gun aimed at Rose's back.


	27. Chapter TwentySeven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

At around six o'clock that evening, Jack returned home. He felt bad about the fight with Rose that morning, knowing that it was at least partly his fault. To make amends, he had bought dinner at a local restaurant and brought it home, along with a bouquet of flowers he had picked up.

Jack made his way across the yard toward the house, then looked in surprise at the open door. Rose never left the front door open unless she was carrying things in or out of the house. For the sake of privacy, she preferred to open the back door and windows to let the breeze through.

Briefly, Jack wondered if Fabrizio or Tommy had returned early and left the door open, but there was no sign of them. Brow furrowed, he set the food and flowers in the kitchen and walked through the house, calling Rose's name.

There was no response. Even more confused, Jack walked through every room in the house, looking for her.

She wasn't there.

He wondered suddenly if she might have been so angry over their fight that morning that she had left him, but all of her belongings were still there, as were Elisa's. She hadn't left him, but he still didn't know where she might be.

Shaking his head, Jack left the house, going to check the most obvious place Rose might have gone—Fred and Monica's house. Monica was due to give birth any day, and Rose went to visit with her regularly.

Walking rapidly, he made his way to the Winkings' home, hoping that Rose was there. A feeling of worry was beginning to overcome him, but he pushed it aside. Most likely, Rose had simply gone out and forgotten to close the front door. There really wasn't anything to worry about.

Fred answered the door when Jack knocked.

"Jack! Good to see you," he said, a little puzzled as to why Jack was visiting. He didn't usually visit after work, especially when it was dinner time at home.

Jack nodded, looking around Fred to see if Rose was in the house. "Have you seen Rose today?" he asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.

Fred shook his head. "I haven't seen her. Monica, have you seen Rose today?" he called.

Monica stepped into the foyer. "No, I haven't seen her. I thought she might be sick or something, or Elisa wasn't feeling well. She usually comes by early in the afternoon, but I haven't seen her at all today. Isn't she at home?"

Jack shook his head, his face showing his worry. "She's not there. I looked everywhere. When I got home the front door was open, but Rose wasn't home, and neither was anyone else."

"Maybe she went into town," Monica suggested. "She might be home by now."

"Maybe," Jack conceded, but somehow he knew that she wasn't. _Where could she be?_ he wondered. _If she's left, why didn't she take her own and Elisa's belongings with her? She must have Elisa. It isn't like Rose to leave the front door open and the housework undone. Could she have been that upset with me, that she forgot or ignored those things?_

"If she comes here, come and get me," Jack told them. "Rose and I got into an argument this morning, so she may still be upset with me. If I don't find her, I'm coming back here. I may need your help."

Turning on his heel, Jack hurried back toward his own home.

*****

Jack returned home, hoping against hope that Rose had returned, but there was still no sign of her. Tommy and Fabrizio were back, but neither had seen her.

"I haven't seen her since early this morning," Tommy told Jack in response to his inquiry. "She seemed kind of upset."

"She was. She says we make too much work for her."

Fabrizio looked a little guilty. "I guess we do, but why didn't she say something?"

"She thought we should be able to figure it out." Jack was too worried to take the time to explain. "Are you sure you haven't seen her?"

"I haven't seen her, Jack," Fabrizio replied. "I thought, since you were gone when we came back here, that you two were out somewhere."

Jack shook his head. "No. I haven't seen her since I left for work this morning. We'd been arguing, but I don't think she's left. All of her stuff, and Elisa's things, are still here. All that's missing are Rose and Elisa."

"Have you asked the Winkings if they've seen her?" Tommy asked.

"I just got back from there. Monica expected her to come by early in the afternoon, but she never showed up."

All three men exchanged worried glances. This was definitely not typical of Rose. She would never leave a friend in the lurch if she could help it.

"I'm going back to the Winkings' house," Jack told them. "I'm going to need their help looking for her."

"We'll come with you," Fabrizio told him, following Jack as he headed for the door. Tommy hurried after them, closing the door behind him.

*****

A short time later, the three men arrived at the Winking home. Monica met them at the door.

"Still no sign of her?" she asked, her expression worried.

"None," Jack told her. "I take it you haven't heard from her either?"

"No." Monica shook her head. "You need to look for her. I'm going back to your house, in case she shows up there."

"Be careful," Jack told her. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"I will be," she promised, slipping past him. "Let me know if you find her."

Jack watched her walk down the street, then turned to the others. "Fred, you go to the lake and the falls. She might have gone there, especially if she was upset with me. Those are good places to get away and think. Tommy, you look around these neighborhoods. See if any of the neighbors have seen her. Fabrizio, you know where the farms around town are. Look for her there. I'll check the rest of town. If anyone finds her, go back to our house and tell Monica, then wait for everyone else. We'll all meet there. Hopefully, we'll find Rose."

*****

Three hours later, Jack was growing frantic. No one had seen Rose that day. Now, it was dark out, and they couldn't continue the search until morning. The search party stood in the front yard of the Dawson home, apprehensively discussing where Rose might be.

"Mr. Dawson?"

Jack barely glanced at the two boys who were standing at the gate, looking at him as though they had news to impart.

"Mr. Dawson?" the boys asked again, louder this time.

Jack sighed in irritation. "What is it? We're having a very important discussion here."

"We know where your wife is."

Jack was immediately alert. "You do? Where? Where is she?"

The boys looked at each other, a little nervously. "Well...we were exploring around the old McCauley place. You know, the house some people say is haunted." The boy telling the story looked even more nervous. The town's children had been forbidden to go there, but it proved irresistible to many.

"We were walking around the house, trying to see if there was any way in, when we heard voices coming from the house. Me and Jimmy wanted to see who was in there, so we sneaked up to a window and looked in."

"And?" Jack asked, wondering what they were getting at.

"There was a dark-haired man inside with a gun, yelling at a lady with a baby who was backed against the wall. I guess she was mad at him, because she spit in his face. He hit her, and then the baby started crying. She turned away from him, looking toward the window, and that was when I saw that it was Mrs. Dawson. Then the man looked toward the window and saw us, and we got scared and ran back to town."

"When was this?" Jack wanted to know, his gaze steady on the two boys.

"About an hour ago," Jimmy volunteered. "Me and Johnny ran back here, and Johnny heard his mom say that Mrs. Dawson was missing, so we came to tell you we saw her."

"Thank you," Jack told them. "Thank you so much. We're going over there right away."

"You know where it is?" Johnny asked.

"I know where it is," Jack confirmed. "I explored it myself when I was your age. Now, you'd better get home before you get in trouble. It's getting late."

The boys hurried off. Jack turned to Fred, Tommy, and Fabrizio.

"Let's go," he told them. "I'll lead the way."

The four men hurried off, ignoring Monica's insistence that she should come, too. Fred told her to stay behind, that this was no place for a woman about to give birth.

Jack ignored the squabbling of his friends. He knew now where Rose was, but he also knew, with a sick, sinking feeling, who the dark-haired man was. Cal.

Who else would come all the way to Chippewa Falls to kidnap Rose?


	28. Chapter TwentyEight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Rose sat in an old wooden chair with Elisa in her arms. She had been held captive since early in the morning. Now, it was night.

Cal had taken her, at gun point, to the abandoned house just outside of town. Rose had carefully watched where they went, in case she was able to escape.

The house wasn't far from the falls; she could easily find her way home if she escaped. But Cal had watched her constantly since they arrived, not allowing her out of his sight for a moment, even to feed Elisa.

He had stared when Rose nursed and cared for the baby, but hadn't touched her. She had feared that he would, tensing whenever he came near her, but every time, Elisa had sensed her mother's distress and cried. For some reason, the baby's cries made Cal back off.

Cal had backed her against the wall once, but she had spit in his face, and he had slapped her, frightening Elisa again. It was then that Rose had turned away toward the window, and had seen the boys peeking in. Cal had seen them, too, and the expression on his face had sent the boys running.

Rose hoped that the boys had told someone what they had seen, but wasn't sure they would have. The old house was off-limits to the town's children, and they might have kept quiet to avoid trouble.

Cal was also worried about whether the boys had told what they had seen. He knew that he had to get Rose away from Chippewa Falls before anyone else showed up. He planned to take her back to Philadelphia, and secure a divorce between Jack and Rose, then marry Rose himself. Rose was his, and no one took away what was his. She could keep the baby, but she would be his wife.

Much to Cal's dismay, things weren't working out quite as planned. He hadn't counted on Rose having a baby—no one had told him of this development. He supposed that Ruth knew, but she rarely spoke to him these days, seeming to have forgotten that she was almost his mother-in-law.

He also hadn't counted upon the boys seeing them. When he had first come to Chippewa Falls, working out his plan to take Rose home with him, he had seen the old, abandoned house as a perfect place to hide for a day or two. He hadn't realized that the ancient building was a magnet for curious children, or that they would be likely to be around on a long summer day.

It would be difficult to get Rose out of town, too. He had planned on taking her to the train station, and leaving on the next train east, but he knew that she would raise a fuss if he tried to take her from the town, and in the crowded environs of the train station, people were bound to hear her. More than likely, Rose would go back to Jack, and Cal would be arrested again. He had gotten away with shooting Rose—and it truly had been an accident. Jack had been the intended victim, but Rose had gotten in the way, saving the gutter rat's life. However, if he got arrested again, he doubted the judge would be so lenient. Kidnapping was no accident, and no one would understand why he had taken Rose from her home.

They would have to walk to the next town, where no one knew Rose, under the cover of darkness, and board a train at night. He had no doubt that all of Chippewa Falls knew that Rose had disappeared by now, but the farther away they got, the fewer people would be likely to recognize her. Once away, she would be unable to escape, especially with the baby to think about.

A little guilt played upon his conscience, but he pushed it away. He was confident that Rose would see it his way, once she went back to her old life. How could she prefer life in a small Midwestern town to the riches and status he could give her? He could give her everything, provide the life that every woman wanted. She might be infatuated with Jack, but she couldn't really love him, not when a life so much better waited for her.

*****

Rose sat quietly, watching Cal drink brandy. He had always liked his liquor, sometimes a little too much, but this amount, nearly half the bottle, was making him drowsy. He rarely drank so much, and Rose suspected that he was worried about the consequences of kidnapping her.

She sat in silence, keeping Elisa quiet by nursing her, waiting as the alcohol took effect. When Cal finally dozed off, she got quietly to her feet, putting a hand firmly over the baby's mouth to keep her quiet, then crept over to the window, making no sound that might disturb him.

She had learned when they arrived that the door squealed loudly on its hinges, so she sat down on the windowsill, grateful that the glass was long gone, and carefully swung her legs over it, slipping outside. Checking Elisa, she crouched down, crawling away from the house through the grass and trees surrounding it.

When she reached the road, Rose broke into a run, trying to blend into the shadows and find her way through the dark. Only a sliver of moonlight shone in the night sky to guide her way, but she ran on, hurrying down the road toward the falls. Eventually, it would take her back into town.

She knew that Jack would be frantic with worry—or would he? He had been angry with her when he'd left that morning. What if he thought she had left him, or had been too angry to look for her? But he'd look for Elisa, she reassured herself. He was angry with her, but not with the baby. Even if he didn't care that she had disappeared, he would still worry about Elisa. She was the apple of his eye.

If she could only make it back into town before Cal awoke and found her gone, she would go straight home. It didn't matter if Jack was angry or not. She would do whatever it took to patch things up and resolve their differences.

As she neared the falls, Rose heard footsteps behind her. Someone was running along the road, the footsteps staggering and uneven. _Cal._ He knew she was gone, and was coming after her.

A quick glance behind her confirmed her fears. It was indeed Cal. Putting on more speed, she tried to go faster, but she couldn't see where she was going in the dark. Her foot slipped in a rut in the road, and she tumbled to the ground.

Elisa began to wail, telling Cal exactly where they were. Rose quickly sat up, checking the baby for injuries, but she was unharmed. Rose had cushioned her with her body, and the infant was only frightened.

She would never be able to escape with Elisa in her arms, Rose realized, and if Cal caught up to them, he might hurt the baby. Hating to do it, but knowing it was necessary, Rose quickly bundled the child in her blanket, then hid her in the bushes at the roadside. This part of the road was well-traveled during the day, so if something happened to her, it was likely that someone would hear Elisa crying and take her back into town.

Elisa cried as Rose placed her on the ground and backed away, running down the road. Rose's heart clenched at the sound, but she kept going. For the sake of both of them, she had to get away.

Feeling her way along the dark road, Rose headed for the falls, searching for some place to hide. She would never make it to town, but if she could find a place where she would be hidden, she would be safe. There were thickets of brush and trees near the falls, as well as rocks and other places to hide.

Even drunk, Cal was faster than her. Neither could see where they were going very well, but Cal was stronger and had longer legs than Rose. He caught up to her as she reached the falls, grabbing her arm as she came to the cliff.

"Let go of me!" Rose knew that pleading was useless, but she couldn't help it. She was frightened of what Cal's intent might be, and worried over the baby she had left in the brush. She yanked at her arm, but was held fast by Cal's drunken strength.

"No! You're coming with me, now." Cal pulled at her, catching her other arm. "You are mine, Rose! You made a promise. No matter what you say, you are still my fiancée. You can't escape it. We agreed to marry, and we will."

"No!" Rose screamed, raising her voice far more than necessary to get her point across. As he had caught her other arm, she had seen lights approaching and heard voices.

Hearing Rose's scream, her rescuers began to run, their lights bouncing along the road as they came closer. Rose struggled, kicking out at Cal and shouting for help.

Shocked at the sudden interruption, Cal lost his grip on her. Rose broke free, turning in the direction of her rescuers.

In that moment, the edge of the cliff, softened by recent rains, gave way. The soil and rocks had held for years, but the combination of rain and the weight of two people had been too much. As the four rescuers rushed forward, shouting, the edge of the cliff crumbled under Rose and Cal, sending them both plunging downward.


	29. Chapter TwentyNine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Rose!" Jack rushed forward, his heart in his throat. It was a long fall to ground below. The chances of anyone surviving such a fall were almost none.

A man's shout and a woman's scream came from below. Jack rushed to edge, uncaring of his own safety, and looked down. There was no sign of either of them.

Grabbing a flashlight, he shone it down over the cliff and the distant ground. At the bottom of the cliff, near the water, Cal lay unmoving.

Jack shone the light around, looking frantically for Rose. At first, he didn't see her, until a pleading voice caught his ears.

"Jack...help me. Please."

Shining the flashlight directly below him, Jack saw Rose clinging to a tiny ledge on the cliff, her fingers clenched into the infinitesimally small bit of rock. Her feet were pressed against the cliff, digging into the dirt. As she saw him looking down at her, she shouted more loudly.

"Jack, please! Help me!"

"I'm coming, Rose. I'll be right there."

Backing away, he looked around desperately, searching for something he could use to pull her up. Just when he was ready to go and look for something, Tommy pulled a length of rope out of his bag.

"You never know when something like this might come in handy," he told Jack, tossing it to him.

Gratefully, Jack caught the rope. Tying one end around himself, he leaned down to shout to Rose.

"Rose, I've got a rope here. I'm going to toss the end to you. Grab it pull yourself up."

"All right."

Jack tossed the rope over the ledge, but Rose was too terrified of losing her grip and falling to grab hold of it.

"Rose! Grab the rope!" Jack shouted, shining the flashlight so that she could see where it was.

Rose shook her head, her fingers clinging more tightly to the tiny ledge of rock, which was even now beginning to give way under her weight.

"Jack, I can't grab it. I'll fall."

"Rose!" Turning around, Jack pulled the rope back and tossed it to his friends. "Hold this. Hold it tight. I'm going after her."

As soon as the three men had a good grip on the rope, Jack lowered himself over the cliff, clinging to the rope and whatever handholds he could find. When he got to Rose, he reached out to her.

"Rose! Grab my hand."

Rose looked at him, her eyes wide and frightened. She slipped a little lower as the rock began to work its way loose from the cliff.

"Now, Rose. Please." Jack held out his hand, the other hand clinging to the cliff wall.

Rose shook with fear, but managed to do as he asked. When his hand touched hers, she gripped it, clinging with all her strength, just as the rock gave way.

With a shriek, she dropped downward, but Jack's hand tightened on hers, stopping her from falling.

"Help me! Please help me!"

"Rose, I've got you. I won't let go. Now pull yourself up!"

Holding tightly to Jack's hand, Rose pulled herself up the cliff, Jack pulling upward with all his strength. At last, she reached him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and holding on.

"Pull us up!" Jack shouted, holding Rose close as their friends pulled the rope up, hauling the pair up the cliff.

When they reached the top of the cliff, Rose dropped to her knees, shaking. A moment later, Jack pulled her up, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her over and over.

"Rose! Oh God, Rose, I was so worried. I didn't know where you were, or what might have happened to you. If that bastard hurt you..."

"He never laid a hand on me, Jack, except to slap me once. He threatened me with a gun, but he never fired it. Every time he came close, Elisa would cry—oh God, where is Elisa? I left her up the road a ways in the bushes..."

"I have her, Rose." Another voice came from the darkness, and a moment later, Monica appeared, the baby cradled in her arms.

With a sob of relief, Rose pulled away from Jack and rushed forward to claim her daughter, kissing the frightened baby and checking her for injuries.

"I followed along," Monica explained, "and as I was going along the road toward the voices, I heard whimpering in the bushes. I stopped to see what it was, and found her."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Rose rocked the baby, quieting her cries. "I left her there to try to escape. I could never run far or fast enough with her, and thought that if...if something happened to me, someone would come along and find her. I was just afraid an animal or something would find her first, but I didn't have a choice. Elisa, sweetie, I'm so sorry."

Jack came forward, pulling the two of them into his arms. Elisa hushed, staring at her father with wide eyes.

"It's all right, Rose. It's all right. You did what you had to, and Elisa's all right. Monica, I thought we told you to stay behind."

"What, and not help find my best friend? I couldn't do that."

"I'm glad you came," Rose told her, hugging her best friend. "Thank you for getting Elisa. I was so afraid for her..."

"It's all right now," Jack told her. "You're safe, and so is Elisa. We don't have to worry about Cal anymore."

"Cal...what happened to him? We fell, and then I remember hearing him shout, and then—nothing."

"He's gone, Rose. He fell all the way to the bottom of the cliff."

"Is he..."

"Dead? Yes, I'd imagine so. If not, he will be soon. That's a long fall. He wasn't moving when I saw him."

Fabrizio stepped away from the others, shining his flashlight over the edge of the cliff.

"He's dead, all right. His neck is broken."

Rose's eyes went wide, thinking of how easily it could have been her. She clung to Jack and Elisa more tightly.

"Jack...I was so afraid you wouldn't come. After that fight this morning..."

"I'm sorry, Rose, about the argument. You're right, we should have done our share. In fact, I brought food home from a restaurant so you wouldn't have to cook tonight. We can heat it up when we get home."

"Thank you, Jack. I was unfair, too. I shouldn't have blown up like that. I know you listen to me, but I was so angry..."

"It's all right, Rose. I'm not angry, not anymore."

"Neither am I." She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. "I knew you'd be worried, at least about Elisa."

"I was afraid for both of you, Rose. When I saw that you were gone, and the door was standing open—my first thought was that you had left. But everything was still there, except Elisa. Not even her things were gone. I knew you wouldn't have taken off without providing for the baby. I looked all over town, but it was only when two boys said that they'd seen you in the old house that I knew where to look for you."

"I saw them, too. Cal scared them off—but I hoped they'd tell someone."

"They heard that I was looking for you, and came and told me."

"We'll have to thank them." Rose swayed against him, the emotions of the long day finally catching up with her.

"Let's go home, Rose." Jack took the baby from her and began to walk down the road, the others trailing after them.

Rose leaned against him, relief filling every part of her. She had feared that he wouldn't come, that Cal would take her away or kill her, or harm Elisa. Cal had told her over and over that what she felt was Jack was just infatuation, that she would be better off with him—because he could provide her with everything. Everything except love.

In the morning, they would send someone to collect Cal's body. The old house would be thoroughly searched, and at last they would begin to put the incident behind them. But not completely.

Cal was wrong, Rose thought, as they made their way back to town. If nothing else, being kidnapped had taught how lucky she was, how valuable the love she and Jack shared was. It wasn't infatuation, and never had been. Cal could have provided her with every material comfort she could ever want—but she never have given him the depth of love that she gave to Jack, nor could he have loved her that way in return. If she had ever felt infatuation, it had been for Cal, early on when she didn't really know him.

Today had taught her what love really was. It wasn't infatuation, not a brief, fleeting emotion. It was much deeper than that. It was a mutual giving and taking, a willingness to do whatever it took to be sure the other was safe—even risking one's own life, as Jack had when he had rescued her. Love—real love—was more than a feeling, and she knew now just how special that was.

The End.


End file.
